Irish Tractor & Agri Magazine April/May 2019

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CONTENTS APRIL/MAY 2019

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AGRI NEWS

ARMER SALMON

MURRAY AGRI

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Agricultural machinery manufacturers who specialise in beet machinery.

We speak with Calum Murray.

NONE SO HARDY (FORESTRY)

DS AGRICON We speak with Damian Shally from the Galway based agricultural contractors.

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49 CLINGAN CONTRACTS

H&T CONSTRUCTION

Specialising in the growth and supply of first-class forestry plants.

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Delivering a quality service every time.

A long-running business in the heart of Ulster.

PATRICK KENT

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President of the ICSA.

CURRAN SAWMILLS

Manufacturing and supplying timber products for 33-years.

LB GREMO

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With a loyal customer base in Ireland and the UK.

Liam Bergin runs LB Gremo in Offaly.

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BRENNAN FORESTRY MACHINERY

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At the forefront of the forestry industry in Connacht.

HICKEY ENGINEERING

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Structural steel and cladding experts in the Midlands.

MCHUGH TIMBER PRODUCTS LTD

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Supplying timber products since 1985.

23 T MCBREARTY LIVESTOCK HAULAGE Providing an exceptional service to farmers in Donegal.

WORRELL HARVESTING A pioneer in wood biomass.

44 GRIFFIN FARM Winners at the Waterford Farm Safety Awards.

56 LIAM & DOLORES O’DONOVAN Winners at the NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards.

59 WINTERS RENEWABLES A successful multifaceted business.

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DS AGRICON

ADHMAID CILL NA MARTRA TEO

52 LB GREMO

CRONIN AGRI BROTHERS A third generation agri contracting business.

78 DERRYGASSON FARM Winner of the Overall Award at the National Dairy Council /Kerrygold Quality Milk Award.

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DES HUNT AGRI

ARMER SALMON

DES HUNT (BALLYDALY) Providing Agricultural Contracting in the mid-Roscommon area.

30 H&T CONSTRUCTION Irish Tractor & Agri is published by DG Press, Kells Business Park, Kells, Co. Meath

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be published or reproduced in any way without the written permission of the author or DG Press © Copyright DG Press. The opinions expressed in Irish Tractor and Agri do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publishers, their agents or Irish Tractor and Agri. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication is correct, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors that may appear.

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JCB BALE SPIKE AND GRAB ATTACHMENTS ENSURE EFFICIENT HANDLING

Among the comprehensive range of JCB AGRI attachments supplied ready to put to work on JCB telehandlers and loaders for the hay- and silage-making season are bale spikes in singleand multiple-tine configurations, a roller-type silage-bale handler, and a ‘clap hands’ grab for wrapped and unwrapped bales.

The products are certified for use with JCB machines and in addition to being strong and durable are easily installed and operated on the diverse range of JCB loading and materials handling machines.

For efficient handling of square and round bales of hay, silage and straw, JCB produces single- and twin-spike attachments with shorter supplementary tines that help secure the load safely.

The single-bale design suits machines such as the JCB TM180 and TM220 telescopic compact loaders as well as the TM310 full-size machine, and the 526-56 and 527-58 compact and larger telehandlers when fitted with Compact Tool Carrier, standard Tool Carrier, Q-Fit and Pin & Cone attachment interfaces.

The compact machines equipped with either of the Tool Carrier units can also handle the larger version that carries two spiked round bales side-by-side or a single rectangular bale up to 1.2m (4ft) square and 2.5m (8ft) long.

Other bale handling options include the convertible bale spike with bolt-on tines that enable the attachment to be used in single- or twin-spike configuration.

Either can be chosen to suit the capacity of the loader being used; and the removable tines are also easily replaced when worn or taken off for added safety when travelling on the road.

A high-back frame version with 40mm forged square tines provides added stability for placing bales on to a stack or

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retrieving them subsequently, especially when the high lift capability of a telehandler is being exploited.

When delicate handling of silage bales is called for, the JCB AGRI ‘clap hands’ grab and roller tine attachments provide the solution, especially when the bales are wrapped.

The former has a double-acting hydraulic cylinder to close tubular frame ‘paddles’ against a big rectangular bale or a round bale – whether sitting on-end or with the curved side to the ground – while the heavy-duty 12mm tubes of the roller design gently cradles and lifts from beneath the curved side of a round bale.

With carefully considered geometry and a lack of any sharp edges on either implement, operators can be sure of lifting bales off a wrapper and loading them on to a trailer or storage stack with minimum risk of the protective wrap being torn or punctured.

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VSÖDRA OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES IRISH ENTITY, SÖDRA WOOD (IRELAND)

Södra has officially launched Södra Wood (Ireland) Ltd, demonstrating the company’s investment in and commitment to the Northern and Southern Irish market.

The launch was celebrated with 40 key figures from across the Irish timber industry at an event at Finnstown Castle Hotel, Lucan. Guests discussed prominent industry issues over dinner and learnt more about Södra’s wider business operation and its record-breaking 2018 from Jörgen Lindquist, President of the Södra Wood business area.

Mr Lindquist, who also officially opened Södra’s UK operation in 2017, explained to guests how a continued focus on growth, sustainability and innovation will help ensure Södra is well-prepared for any potential future challenges. The formation of Södra Wood (Ireland) Ltd speaks directly to this sentiment.

Kevin Peters, Sales Manager, Södra Wood (Ireland) Ltd, commented: “Crucially, whether we end up with a hard or soft Brexit, Södra Wood (Ireland) Ltd provides us with two options to supply to our Northern Irish customers. They could continue to be supplied out of our distribution terminal in Wicklow, Republic of Ireland or, in the event of a hard border, supplying out of Dundee, Scotland may be more convenient. Whatever the outcome, we’re well placed to cope with any potential Brexit challenges.

“That said, while Södra Wood (Ireland) Ltd will certainly help combat any potential post-Brexit issues, the investment in Ireland is much more far-reaching. Along with Sweden, Holland and Great Britain, Ireland is very much a key market for Södra and an integral part of its longterm strategy. We’re keen to continue to support the growth of the Irish economy, regardless of the political environment.”

Guests left the event with a truly authentic insight into Södra’s operations: their very own sapling, direct from Södra’s nursery in Falkenburg, Sweden, where 36 million saplings passed through last year. The saplings, indicative of the beginning of Södra’s new Irish venture, will reach full maturity in around 50-70 years’ time (sequestering harmful carbon dioxide as they do), just like those that make up over 2.5 million hectares of Södra’s forests in southern Sweden.

FIRST MICHELIN ROADBIB TYRES FITTED IN SCOTLAND

Cockburnspath-based R&C Crichton has become the first farmer in Scotland to specify Michelin’s new RoadBib tyres – designed to provide high performance, longevity and traction on 200+hp machines used intensively on the road.

Jamie Crichton specified the new tyres for his high-spec JCB Fastrac 4220 after hearing positive reports from one of the contractors involved in pre-launch testing for Michelin.

Commenting Crichton says: “Michelin has clearly invested heavily in manufacturing an all-new generation of tyres which are unlike anything we’ve seen on a Fastrac before. Being brand new we presumed they’d cost us a fortune, so we were delighted to find they were pretty much the same price as everything else.

“First impressions are very positive. They certainly look like they are built for longevity and road comfort is noticeably improved. It’s just going to take some time to get used to seeing

my Fastrac without lugged tyres!”

The Fastrac supports two small family farms, planting and hauling around 5,000 tonnes of swede each year. It is also used for local agricultural contracting work, and for special projects in a nearby cement works – with a 60/40 split between road and field work.

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NEWGENERATION MCCORMICK X5 SERIES TRACTORS HAVE MORE TRANSMISSION OPTIONS

A new generation of McCormick X5 Series tractors now available from dealers throughout the UK and Ireland features more transmission options for a wider choice of gear configurations.

It also offers new reduced-revs 40kph and pto speeds to help with fuel economy and a power-boosted braking system for improved performance with less effort as part of a generous level of standard equipment.

“The X5 Series is at the core of our ‘livestock tractor’ line-up and offers a lively and versatile power unit with a broad choice of specifications to suit different applications and preferences,” notes Adrian Winnett, Argo Tractors managing director for the UK and Ireland.

“Together with a neat and well laid-out cab providing a comfortable and convenient working environment with good all-round visibility, the tractors make an attractive package for field and loader work.”

The new McCormick X5 Series replaces the Perkins-powered first-generation X5 design with three new models powered by a 3.6-litre Deutz four-cylinder engine tuned for max outputs of 99hp (X5.35), 107hp (X5.45) and 113hp (X5.55).

Apart from attractive power, torque and fuel economy credentials, the new engine has simpler emissions control hardware in the form of a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), which unlike a diesel particulates filter (DPF) requires no fuelburn cleansing, maintenance or operator intervention.

It also has a new viscous drive option for the engine cooling fan, which runs only when necessary to maintain a steady coolant temperature and therefore contributes to the tractor’s fuel economy.

In the new X5 Series tractors, power and torque are channelled through an expanded selection of transmissions.

Buyers can choose between a dry clutch synchro shuttle or wet clutch power shuttle, a gear splitter or three-speed powershift, and from 12 to 36 forward speeds, with a creep gearbox option available across the board.

“The synchro shuttle 12×12 transmission with manual rear linkage control will suit anyone wanting a simple, reliable ‘mechanical’ tractor for yard work on a livestock farm and perhaps also for horticultural and fruit enterprises,” notes Adrian Winnett.

“But there’s also the option to upgrade to the power shuttle with adjustable drive take-up, which apart from giving fingertip forward/reverse selection also brings electro-hydraulic control of the pto clutch for progressive take up of power to help protect implement drivelines.”

Alternatively, there is the new 24×24 transmission with a

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splitter operated by a button on the gear selector that permits easy up- and down-shifts to cope with changing load on the tractor.

This can be had with the synchro shuttle or power shuttle, as well as a creep ‘box that adds another eight speeds in both directions.

If more ratios are required to handle a lot of field work – mowing, tedding and raking grass for hay and silage, cultivations and harrowing, trailer and spreader work, for example – then the newly-released H-M-L option provides the added versatility of three-speed powershift to complement the power shuttle.

This increases the number of forward speeds to 36 with 12 in reverse – or 48×16 with the creep gearbox – for greater flexibility when finding the optimum speed for every job.

In addition, the new Eco Forty feature reduces the engine revs once a 40kph cruising speed has been reached, to save fuel and give the operator a quieter drive on lengthy transport runs.

The new four-speed pto option is another fuel-saving feature, this time for field work, as it provides both 540rpm and 1000rpm shaft speeds at ‘economy’ as well as ‘power’ settings.

Hydraulic resources comprise a 62-litre/min gear pump (complemented by a 32-litre/min pump dedicated to steering and ancillary clutches), supplying the three double-acting spool valves fitted as standard.

Other standard equipment includes interchangeable ball and claw ends for the 4500kg rear linkage lift arms, and a pushback telescopic pick-up hitch; electronic control of the rear hitch is available in place of the mechanical system.

The generous standard equipment list also includes an air suspension seat, tilt/telescopic steering wheel and air conditioning in the McCormick X5 Series cabin, which features air intake filters located in the rear pillars where they are easily accessible while keeping the roof panel relatively slim for the lowest practicable overall height.

Larger tyres are being fitted for the UK and Ireland, and a new power-boosted braking system delivers better performance for less effort from the operator, with true all-wheel braking performance provided by the internal front axle disc brakes installed as standard.

The new tractors are available with a McCormick hydraulic loader for materials handling work, equipped with self-levelling and soft-ride suspension for the smoothest possible operation.

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NEW FOUR-CYLINDER MCCORMICK X7 SERIES TRACTORS HAVE MORE POWER AND FEATURES

A new range of McCormick four-cylinder tractors with a number of performance and driver comfort advances are now available from Argo Tractors dealerships throughout the UK and Ireland.

The three-model line-up covers maximum power outputs from 141hp to 166hp for draft work and up to 176hp with ‘power boost’ automatically engaged, come with a choice of equipment levels and either new slick-shifting powershift or seamlessly smooth CVT transmissions.

The new Tier 4 Final versions of the McCormick X7.4 tractors offer a well-equipped machine capable of handling a wide range of tasks on livestock, arable and mixed enterprise farms.

There is a choice of simpler-spec Efficient and fullfeature Premium semi-powershift models, and stepless transmission models to the Premium specification.

Performance lift All are powered by a 4.5-litre BetaPower engine from FPT Industrial, with an SCR plus DOC emissions control package that has no need for a DPF soot filter.

Performance has been given a lift with pto-driven implements and when pulling trailers, tankers and spreaders now that ‘boost power’ features on all models.

The X7.440 has a maximum power output of 141hp for draft work, which automatically increases to 150hp under load in the upper gears – ie for transport applications – and when a pto-driven field implement is being operated.

Similarly, the X7.450’s 155hp output rises almost 6.5% or 10hp to 165hp for these non-draft applications, while power for the X7.460 also goes up 10hp, from 166hp to 176hp.

Transmissions The new P6-Drive transmission serves up more ratios in total and six instead of four powershift steps to deliver outstanding speed control versatility.

Buyers get to use 30 forward and 15 reverse speeds with the standard transmission format or 54 forward and 27 reverse with the creep option.

Auto shifting can be used in ‘Field’ and ‘Road’ modes, with the latter providing hands-free shifts through all five ranges, which results in easier and often more productive operation in the field, as well as more comfortable road travel.

The Argo Tractors control software provides ‘intelligent’ range and powershift selection according to the load on the tractor.

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There are also VT-Drive versions of all three models, with an advanced CVT transmission providing seamless speed changes, easy driving characteristics and a choice of operating modes that can be fine-tuned for different applications.

Specification choice Two levels of equipment and different option packages are available for McCormick X7.4 Series tractors.

For operators who prefer a simpler, more mechanicallyorientated specification, Efficientversions of tractors with the P6-Drive transmission have a traditional right-hand control panel, manual spool valves and 6300kg rear lift linkage.

The Premium specification available on P6-Drive tractors and standard for the VT-Drive models includes a seat-mounted armrest control console and Argo’s 12in Data Screen Manager touch-screen terminal.

This is used for setting up transmission features, the electrically-operated spool valves, headland management sequencing and functions for the 9300kg rear hitch.

Digital air conditioning, more generous standard tyre sizes and various in-cab and equipment enhancements are also part of the Premium package, while increased clearance in the spacious Premiere cab allows the super deluxe air suspension seat to be swivelled further for a more comfortable view to implements at the rear of the tractor.

Common features Features common to all McCormick X7.4 Series tractors include a 123-litre/min piston pump hydraulics system, which on Efficient versions can be exchanged for a lower-cost 88litre/min open-centre gear pump set-up.

A separate 44-litre/min pump is dedicated to the steering and ancillaries such as the four-wheel drive and pto clutches, while four-speed pto provides ‘power’ and ‘economy’ gearing for both 540rpm and 1000rpm shaft speeds.

All versions can be upgraded to 50kph with a cab and front axle suspension and air trailer braking package, while 40kph versions can also have mechanical cab suspension alone or in combination with the independent wishbone front axle suspension design that enhances ride comfort in the field and on the road and can improve front-wheel traction over a rough field surface.

ISOBUS implement monitoring and control can be installed, as can a factory-fitted ‘GPS ready’ package providing auto steer and other precision farming functions through a choice of Topcon displays. This option also activates EazySteer adjustable low ratio steering for reduced arm twirling at headlands and during loader work.

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We offer the following services to the agri industry:

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DS Agri Designed_Layout 1 26/03/2019 11:52 Page 1

Focusing in service

DS Agricon Ltd offer a full range of farm services from re-seeding, baling and wrapping, slurry spreading, hedge-cutting and digger work

DS Agricon Ltd has been providing its customers with the kind of efficient service which keeps them coming back again and again. Irish Tractor spoke to company owner Damian Shally to find out more about the County Galway-based outfit.

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ince 2005, Damian has been operating his own agricultural contracting business but his love for the industry itself stretches back a bit further than that. Farming has

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been a huge interest of Damian's since he was a boy and right now he’s involved in the sort of work that he loves as the business continues to thrive. The company is based in Cloghans Hill,

Tuam and employ two full-time employees Eddie McLoughlin and Michael Hughes and one part-timer David Devane on the contracting end. “We offer a full range of farm services,

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The workshop ensures that all machinery is kept in good working order

re-seeding, baling and wrapping during the summer months and slurry work as well as hedge-cutting and digger work as well,” explained Damian.

“Our customer base is very much on milk production, with 65-70 per cent of our customers coming from the dairy production market. In the winter we do hedge cutting and site clearance. During the winter months we do a lot of maintenance as well.”

The secret behind the success is nothing special, according to Damian: “We keep costs down for one. Generally, anything mechanical we do it ourselves.”

That helps give the company an edge over the competition, so to speak, and in the agricultural industry you need to stay one step ahead of the game. That and providing a reliable service seems to go hand-in-hand when it comes to success in this particular line of work.

For Damian, the key section of his business has always been baling and slurry spreading which keeps him very busy during the summer months and also during autumn and spring with the slurry spreading. A great year weatherwise saw the busy times stretch into the autumn in 2018 and his maintenance work ensured that things ticked over during the winter before the spring rolled in and it all started again.

A slow progress often reaps the best rewards when it comes to business and over the years Damian, along with his employees, has gained a reputation for the excellent service that they provide.

“It slowly just progressed and just grew year by year. The ethos at this company is that we do a very clean and tidy job.

DS Agricon Ltd Belmont, Cloghans Hill, Tuam, Co Galway Tel: 087 6107795

That sort of stuck to us down the years and we do provide a very efficient service.

With regards to upgrading the fleet, Damian is mindful to ensure that all machinery is kept as fresh as possible.

"We have kept things sensible here, changing the balers every three years, while the tractors would be upgraded every four to five years and maintaining them ourselves which, as I said earlier, really helps when it comes to keeping down costs.”

Damian prefers John Deere tractors

over the other makers, so we had to ask the question why?

“The product is good and reliable.

When it comes to tractors we have a very good dealer that we work with to ensure that we get the best deals possible when purchasing a new machine.”

As stated, slurry work is a big part of the business and Damian revealed that for the past four years, they have been using the umbilical system, which he has been very pleased with.

"We use the umbilical system which we IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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Best Wishes To DS Agricon Best Wishes & Continued Success To DS Agricon

Best Wishes To DS Agricon Best Wishes & Continued Success To DS Agricon

Best Wishes To DS Agricon

094 9022429

redmacltd@eircom.net

Unit 11, Breaffy Retail Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo Tel: 00353 (0) 94 9022429 Fax: 00353 (0) 94 9024383 Best Wishes & Continued Success To

DS Agricon

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John Deere are the preferred choice of tractor for their reliability

find has huge advantages over tankers, especially given the land that we are working on, which can be generally wet."

Damian has an impressive fleet of machinery at his disposal including two Fusion 3 balers, four John Deere tractors, two track machines (13 and 15 tonne) a krone mower and much more.

DS Agricon Ltd doesn't provide a silage harvesting service as Damian stated that due to big cutbacks in acreage, pits silage is not as common.

"We don't do pit silage, there has been a massive cutback in the amount of land for silage and we just see more benefits in focusing on baling and wrapping."

Tillage work is another area focused on, although Damian added that this type of work was not as plentiful as it has been in the past.

“We would sow about 100 acres every year. We would also do over 300 acres of reseeding and some land reclamation work for our customers.”

Away from the farming work, the company have been involved in a number of projects for both private builders and Galway County Council.

"We do a fair bit of digger work, we were involved in the construction of the Tuam bypass, while we have carried out

a good bit of work for the local council, trimming roadsides and hedge cutting."

Lime spreading has been added to the list of services in recent years as Damian spreads for McGrath’s of Cong using a 7-8 tonne Bredal Limespreader.

Damian concluded by thanking all his

customers for their support over the past 14 years.

“Our customer base would include farms in Mayo and Galway, many of who have been with us years now and I would like to thank them for their support.”

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Through the Chair…

Patrick Kent addressing ICSA's members at its AGM in Portlaoise

Now in his sixth year and final year as President of the ICSA, Patrick Kent continues to fight the good fight for farmers the length and breadth of the country. The issue of low farming incomes remains top of his list of priorities.

T

he Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association emerged as a farming lobby group, specifically for cattle and sheep farmers following the 1992 MacSharry Reform of the CAP. The farmers who began the development of ICSA identified a number of flaws and inequities introduced in the 1992 reform. These issues formed the basis of the ICSA policy objectives during the Agenda 2000 negotiations, through to the Fischler reforms of 2003 and continue to underpin our policies as CAP post 2013 negotiations progress.

One of ICSA’s biggest successes was the abolition of the coupled payments system for farm subsidies. Essentially, ICSA was the organisation that delivered the single payment – and it is now 12

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fighting to retain the maximum possible basic payment.

The Association – which has seen its membership grow to over 10,000 members - represent the interests of drystock and sheep farmers throughout every county in Ireland, with the national office located in Portlaoise, Co. Laois.

Back in 2013, New Ross, Co Wexfordbased farmer Patrick Kent was elected president of the ICSA and was re-elected to serve a third and final term in December 2017.

“I am privileged to work with outstanding colleagues in the association; their dedication to defending the rights of farmers around the country is second to none and I am proud to be part of a great team,” he said following his re-election.

Now in the final year of his presidency, Patrick has led many campaigns over the past five years from opposition to TTIP and Mercosur deals to beef protests against unfair prices currently being paid to farmers.

He believes farmers should be recognised for the positive impact that pasture farming has on climate change, he is passionate about the creation of other income streams for farmers from carbon sequestration and on-farm renewable energy generation complete

with proper financial incentives.

It’s a pretty time consuming role but Patrick has derived great satisfaction from serving the ICSA’s members and has no intention of letting the baton slip in his final year.

“It has been a very interesting time for me on a personal level and I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a lot of influential people,” he told Irish Tractor & Agri.

“Being President of the ICSA is a responsible position and we have a responsibility to represent all of our members that we take very seriously. We have to address their concerns by bringing them to the attention of of the powers that be and the policy makers.

“Throughout my term to date I have had the pleasure of meeting so many farmers and seeing first-hand the commitment they have to their businesses. I have been in and out of Brussels a lot and there is a constant amount of lobbying the President has to do in and around Kildare Street as well.

You also have keep ahead of all the research that is going on and attend plenty of conferences and meetings.

There is a lot of work involved but it has been an enjoyable period for me and I’m looking forward to seeing out my final year.”

What are the challenges that ICSA

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On the farm in New Ross, Co Wexford - Patrick operates a mixed enterprise of cattle, sheep and thoroughbred national hunt horses

ICSA Chairman Patrick Kent (left) with Jerry Fitzpatrick, Minister Michael Creed, Fiona Sage, EU Commissioner Phil Hogan and Declan O'Halloran

members face at this point in time?

“They’re ever increasing!” Patrick replied instantly. “Incomes are diluting, there is pressure to increase output and not be rewarded for it. That is a huge issue that has to be addressed.

“A farmer in his or her 50s or 60s is being asked to jump and they are expected to say how high. Putting farmers into vertical integration systems of production is codology and has to be

addressed.

“We’re producing high quality food here in Ireland and Bord Bia has a responsibility to promote quality healthy food, not low grade factory produced food.

Patrick – who operates a mixed enterprise of cattle, sheep and thoroughbred national hunt horses - was inducted into the National Hall of Fame for Livestock Breeding last year having

been nominated for the award by Belgian Blue Cattle Society.

He first became acquainted with the Belgian Blue breed in the mid 1980’s. In 1988 he purchased a breeding heifer from the Debiert herd in Belgium which became the foundation female of the Aclare Herd.

He gave up showing because it was “too time consuming” and channelled all his energies into the ICSA. “We have got to stop mass production,” he insisted. “Grass produced, grass fed and GM free is the aim. We have taken GM out of the diet and that is a positive step forward. Ireland has an advantage because it is an island country. Our grass is more nutritious and we have a higher standard of produce as a result.

“Very few countries in the world can compete with us in that regard and that is a very strong unique selling point we have in our favour.

“We are always looking to maximise the price for dairy, beef and sheep,” he added. “Hopefully, Brexit will not put too big a spanner in the works but it’s difficult to say at this point in time. Having said that, I’m a firm believer that the right product can be sold on any market in the world.”

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Brennan Forestry designed_Layout 1 12/03/2019 15:10 Page 1

A decade of excellent forestry services “We carry out a lot of work on difficult access sites"

Brennan Forestry Machinery Ltd Dunmore Rd, Williamstown, Co Galway Tel: 086 156 5061, Email: brennanharvesting@gmail.com 14

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Brennan Forestry Machinery carry out work throughout Galway, Mayo and Roscommon

Brennan Forestry Machinery Ltd has been at the forefront of the forestry industry in the Connacht region for the past decade.

Owner Robert Brennan detailed the services the company provides to its valued clients.

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sing state-of-the-art machinery, Brennan Forestry Machinery is a highly experienced timber harvesting company operating throughout Galway, Mayo and Roscommon.

Established by Robert Brennan in 2009, the Williamstown based operation’s timber harvesting services include clearfell, thinnings and road clearance.

“We also do the odd road marking job,” added Robert in conversation with Irish Tractor & Agri magazine.

It was by accident rather than design that Brennan Forestry Machinery came into existence 10 years ago. The downturn in the building sector led Robert down the path of setting up his own forestry company.

“I’m a fitter by trade,” he explained when reflecting on the origins of the business. “I ended up going down this road after things got quiet in the building industry. I employed one person at the start and have five working with me now.

I also buy and sell machines every year.”

Ireland’s forests are still expanding and has now reached 11% of the total land area, with a wide variety of forest types present. The total forest area has increased from 697,842 hectares (ha) in 2006 ha to 770,020 ha in 2017.

Timbers sales from private forest owners were estimated at over €25m last year and a recent change in taxation rules means that income from forestry clear-felling is tax free.

The Irish forestry and forestry product sector contributes €2.3 billion to the Irish economy supporting 12,000 jobs.

According to latest estimates, timber production is forecast to double to 7.90 million m3 by 2035, with almost all of the increase being harvested in the private forest sector. If the timber production forecast is realised the opportunity exists to increase the annual value of the sector to €4.5 billion and the support 22,000 jobs, predominantly in rural areas.

As a consequence, Brennan Forestry Machinery’s services are very much in demand from the likes of The Murray Timber Group, Coillte and Green Belt.

Work is undertaken for all categories of clients, whether state forests or private woodlands. And no volume of timber is too big or too small.

“We’re extremely busy at the minute,” Robert said, “always doing our best to keep mills supplied with timber.”

Their extensive range of purpose built forestry machinery gives Brennan Forestry Machinery the ability to cover all aspects of timber harvesting; therefore ensuring that the most appropriate form of machinery is used on IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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DONOVAN FORESTRY SERVICES

Best Wishes To Brennan Forestry Machinery Ltd, From

Tel:091-637964 Contact Paddy 087-2852066 Newtownlynch, Kinvara, Co. Galway

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Brennan Forestry was set up by Robert Brennan back in 2009

The County Galway based operation boasts an extensive range of purpose built forestry machinery

the job to meet their clients demands, from first thinnings to final felling.

In addition, it ensures they can offer solutions for all kinds of access problems and difficult terrains, enabling them to manage their work and time efficiently.

Their in-depth knowledge and experience means they can safely operate on all levels of terrain, to include steep inaccessible slopes and wet peatlands. They are

experts when it comes to difficult terrains.

Robert’s modern and well-maintained fleet of machinery includes two Ponsse Ergo harvesters, a HSM 405 Thinning Machine, a Ponsee forwarder, 2 Timber Jacks (81 D and 1110C) forwarders and a John Deere 1110C forwarder.

The Ponsse Ergo is an ergonomic and powerful harvester for demanding harvesting conditions and steep slopes.

“We tend to prefer Ponsse and John

Deere because we have found them to be very reliable,” Robert outlined.

“We carry out a lot of work on difficult access sites, tricky jobs and would consider that to be a bit of a speciality.

That is definitely something that we would pride ourselves on.”

As a result, Health and Safety is their greatest priority and Robert and his team will never compromise on safety.

All employees are fully trained in the tasks they undertake.

Looking to the future, Robert is optimistic about building on the solid foundations that have been laid over the course of the last decade.

“Things are going okay at the moment and I see no reason why that won’t continue in the years ahead. It’s up to every man to change his own future.

There are many challenges in this industry and one of the main ones at this point in time is getting good lads but I’m lucky to have good ones working with me at the moment.”

Want to learn more about Brennan Forestry Machinery Ltd’s services? Give Robert a call at the number below. He will welcome the opportunity to discuss your requirements. Excellent customer service defines his approach to his forestry business.

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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McHugh Timber Products Ltd: The people’s choice

The company and staff were recently recognised at the 2018 Cavan Business & Tourism awards winning Innovative Company of the Year

The new incised brown posts offer a 15 year service life

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IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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A team effort has played a huge part in their success

Fencing products play an integral role in the agricultural industry. A common sight on any Irish farm are paling posts erected in fields. For many of us, there is nothing to a fencing post, it's just a generally rounded piece of timber that is placed in the ground, but for farmers it is a mainstay of everyday life.

Q

uality is key in the timber products industry and to this end; the quality of the product can be gauged by its longevity.

Based in Killeshandra, Co Cavan, McHugh Timber Products Ltd has been providing timber products to not only the farming community, but to a wider customer base as well since first being established in 1985. Founded by the late Neville McHugh, the business has grown

considerably over the years as their product list reflects on their everincreasing customer base that covers a wide number of industries as well as private customers.

Their list of products includes round fencing posts, peeled fencing posts, creosote posts, incised posts, post and rail: fencing wire, gates, sleepers, jump poles to name but a few.

The company motto best describes what they are all about.

“McHugh Timber Products Ltd have a long-standing commitment to providing the best service and quality to our customers.”

McHugh Timber Products Ltd suffered a massive set back in 2013 when the untimely passing of Neville left some uncertainty in the business. However, any doubts about the future of the business were soon dismissed as Neville's wife Siobhán who had been involved in the business since 2000 carried on her late husband's legacy.

“Neville had started the business from McHugh Timber Products Ltd Drumkillrooske, Derrylane, Killeshandra, Co. Cavan, Ireland.

Phone: +353 494 335 211 Email: mchughtimber@eircom.net

scratch and we were always going to carry it on. A lot of work went in to get it where it is and the staff we have here deserve great credit for the work they have done over the years,” said Siobhán. The company and staff were recently recognised at the 2018 Cavan Business & Tourism awards when they were named Innovative Company of the Year. Siobhán admitted that running the business is not an easy task, but with the help of the employees and Operations Manager Dermot O'Donohoe, she is delighted with the direction that the business is heading.

“We have a large customer base and the aim is to ensure their satisfaction. We have developed a reputation for providing not only top quality products, but an excellent service as well. The focus is on maintaining and trying to improve on those standards, while always introducing new products to the market.”

The company MD Siobhan McHugh added that in relation to new products,

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

19

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Best wishes & contiuned success to

McHugh Timber Products from...

W: www.protrans.ie P: 00353 433324555

Leitrim Cross, Drumlish Road, Longford, N39 R863

Lubrication Solutions For Every Market Sector

GEM OILS LTD.

Tel: (049) 4378116 Email: sales@gemoils.ie www.gemoils.ie

Best Wishes To McHugh Timber Products

PAT CORRIGAN TRANSPORT LTD.

YOU CALL WE HAUL Main Street, Drumlish, Co. Longford Telephone: (043) 3324007 - (043) 3324050 Mobile: (087) 2597315 Email: patcorrigantransport@hotmail.com

CONTINUED SUCCESS TO ALL AT MCHUGH TIMBER PRODUCTS 20

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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they have introduced a new fencing post that is proving to be a popular choice amongst their farming customers.

“The new post has a life expectancy of 15 years and farmers have gone from the cheaper option which doesn't last as long to buying a quality product that they know will last 15 years.

“The post is incised at the point of production which enhances timber drying prior to treatment. The slots means that in the treatment tank the preservative is much more easily able to penetrate the timber and hence provide the protection needed to prevent premature failure. Farmers really like it and it is proving to be a popular product.

There is a grant available for these in the north, but not down south yet.”

McHugh Timber Products Ltd source their timber locally and deal with a network of harvesters as well as Coillte.

“We deal with a large number of harvesting companies in order to source our timber. We would also work with Coillte and buy some of our timber through online auctions that they host.

Generally, we use first and second thinning's for manufacturing our products. There is always a demand for good quality stake material.”

The Cavan based firm treat all their

customers the same regardless of how big or small the order is and Siobhán stressed that they have always offered the personal touch.

“We are a family run business and we have been dealing with many of these people for years. “Our products are distributed through wholesalers and retailers as well as directly to the end

DELAHUNT HAULAGE LTD.

Best wishes to all at McHugh Timber Products

(M) 087-2607601 (T) 045-878707

“McHugh Timber Products have a long-standing commitment to providing the best service and quality to our customers”

E-mail: delahunthaulage@gmail.com Emmaville House, Blackhill, Kill, Co Kildare

user, so we are dealing with a wide range of customers.

“We are continuously looking at ways to add new products to our portfolio. It is essential to keep up with the rest of the industry and you cannot rest on your laurels, you always have to be looking ahead.”

The threat of Brexit has left a lot of

Best Wishes To McHugh Timber Products From

HASTINGS TRANSPORT

Bingfield House, Crossdoney, Co. Cavan T: 049 4367531 M: 087 2600620

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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McHugh Timber Products fencing parts are a common site on Irish farms

uncertainty amongst businesses in the country and especially those along the border, but Siobhán stated that “I'm not too concerned at the moment as like everyone else, we are unsure of what is going to happen, but definitely if there is a hard border introduced, then we could run into some difficulties, but we will just have to deal with it if that happens.”

McHugh Timber Products Ltd are FSC certified, which means

they are a business manufacturing or trading forest products, chain of custody certification verifies that products are handled correctly at every stage of production from forest to shelf.

Siobhán, Dermot and the rest of the staff have worked hard to ensure that Neville's legacy lives on in the quality of products that they produce and there is no doubt that this business is set for a bright future.

The business has been built up from humble beginnings

22

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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A Donegal haulier with an insight into farmers’ needs

Cawley Commercials and Pat McGowan Transport keep the vehicles in prime condition

Over the past 30 years and counting, T McBrearty Livestock Haulage has provided exceptional services to farmers across the Donegal region. We caught up with the eponymous founder and owner Tony McBrearty – who does some farming himself - to get an update on day-to-day activities.

A

s a fully-subscribed member of the farming community, Tony McBrearty understands all too well what the needs and expectations of farmers are when it comes to haulage – be that livestock, straw, slurry or machinery. With a flexible fleet of livestock trailers, low loaders and tankers at his disposal, the personable Donegal man provides a range of

“It’s all about providing a quality service at the end of the day” IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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Tony has a flexible fleet of livestock trailers, low loaders and tankers at his disposal

An outstanding service is guaranteed on every job

The business is tipping along nicely

unrivalled solutions to local animal and land owners.

No stone is left unturned in ensuring an efficient, prompt, safe and dependable service at all times. To this end, with a keen emphasis on Health & Safety and punctuality, Tony and his trusty team of drivers make sure that every consignment arrives on time and in perfect condition so that the hardpressed farmer can focus on his own daily activities without any unnecessary complications.

Running two stunning Scania trucks, T McBrearty Livestock Haulage have been in business for three decades, benefiting from a large volume of repeat business, which of course goes hand in hand with meeting customer demands and doing so at a fair and reasonable rate.

The first truck Tony operated was a small rigid Scania with 22-foot body.

24

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Today, he runs the aforementioned pair of Scanias, having stuck predominantly with the renowned Swedish manufacturer down through the years.

He has also owned a couple of Volvos along the way.

The current fleet comprises a striking R500 and a fantastic R480, both of which were purchased second-hand from Michael McNally of A&M Commercials in County Monaghan.

The lorries look and perform brilliantly, with the services of Cawley Commercials in Sligo and Pat McGowan Transport in Ballybofey availed of to ensure that they remain in optimal running order around the clock.

As the name suggests, livestock haulage is Tony’s bread and butter. To this end, he uses superb professional double-decker livestock transporters from Houghton Trailers, whose transporters are synonymous with

T McBrearty Livestock Haulage, Aughavoy, Ballybofey, County Donegal.

Email: tonymcbreartyhaulage@gmail.com Tel: 087-1449310

durability and enjoy excellent resale values.

For the past five or six years, Tony has been working as an agent for Dawn Meats, transporting cattle from farms across Donegal to their factory on Clare Road, Ballyhaunis, County Mayo.

Animals are also transported in and out of Donegal Mart and Raphoe Mart.

The Donegal man appreciates fully what the expectations and requirements of farmers are when it comes to the transportation of their animals – or other products.

Fully licensed, ensured, registered and compliant with all the latest Irish and EU legislation, T McBrearty Livestock Haulage also provides keen straw and hay transport services to local farmers as well as drawing pig slurry.

Meanwhile, to keep the wheels of the two Scanias turning, other work carried out includes transporting animal feeds for Kiernan Milling and coal for Coyle Fuels in Buncrana.

Between all the various strands of the business, Tony is keeping two men in full-time employment and he is pleased to report that business is brisk at present: “We’re fairly busy and we can’t complain,” he states.

As for the secret of T McBrearty Livestock Haulage’s continued success and enduring popularity, he admits it’s not rocket science really – just a matter of looking after customers and their goods. “It’s all about providing a quality service at the end of the day. We’ve been at this for a long time and we like to think we know what we are doing at this stage. When you tell a farmer or other customer that you are going to

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turn up with a truck and trailer at a particular time, then you simply have to do that. You have to give an outstanding service all the time because you are completely depending on your good reputation. When you look after people and treat them with the respect they deserve, they will come back and do business with you again.”

Down through the years and decades, Tony has had a longlasting relationship with Scania. When he decides to replenish or expand his fleet,

Tony McBrearty runs two striking Scania trucks

chances are he’ll opts for Scania again. What is it about the highly-regarded marque that appeals to him?

“They’re a very reliable truck and they won’t let you down.

That’s all you can ask for. Once we have reliable trucks, then we can provide our customers with the best possible service.”

As for a business plan going forward, the modest and affable Donegal man will continue to concentrate on what he does best: “We’ll keep doing what we are doing – providing a reliable service and making sure our customers are happy,” he concludes.

A flexible, customer-friendly service is provided

TG TRANS

Best Wishes To T McBrearty Livestock Haulage, From

Specialise In Bulk Liquid Haulage 26 Oldcastle Road, Newtownstewart, Omagh BT78 4HX

The trucks look great and perform even better

Best Wishes To T McBrearty Livestock Haulage

Dungloe Business Park, The Angles, Dungloe, Co. Donegal T: 074 95 21322 / 074 95 22206 F: 074 95 22142 Email: theresa@omalleyscanlon.com Donegal Street, Ballybofey, Co. Donegal T: 074 91 31020 F: 074 91 31274 Email: omalleyscanlon@eircom.net

O’Malley Scanlon Insurance Brokers is regulated by the Central Bank

Tel:028-8166 2151 Mobile: 07785 958 714

Email:tghaulage@aol.com

Best Wishes & Continued Success To T McBrearty Livestock Haulage From

WHITEHOUSE VETERINARY CLINIC

14 Whitehouse Road, Londonderry BT48 0NE Telephone: 02871 262596 If call from ROI 04871262596

www.whitehousevc.co.uk Email: info@whitehousevc.com

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

25

Look no further than Armer Salmon for reliable, reconditioned beet harvesters and more

Armer Salmon specialise in beet machinery

Armer Salmon Johnstown Clonegal Enniscorthy Wexford Mob: 086 307 9985 Email: armersalmon5@gmail.com 26

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Based in Clonegal, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford Armer Salmon are agricultural machinery manufacturers who specialise in beet machinery, both new and rebuilds, and also stock all parts for Armer harvesters and seeders.

T

he father and son team of Jer and Jamie Murphy are able to offer the benefit of nearly 40 years’ experience in the design, development and manufacture of beet harvesters and their machines are renowned nationally and beyond for their reliability.

Jer Murphy learned the tricks of the trade when working as a fitter in the machinery division of a local company and has used the skills he developed to good effect. He was subsequently one third of a partnership (Murphy, Lowry and Reilly) before the well-documented demise of Ireland’s sugar industry.

The closure of the sugar industry in Ireland in 2006 was a devastating blow to farmers, the factory workers and all engaged in the industry. It wiped out a profitable and viable industry for 3,700 beet growers and their families, who were left with no option, as a result of the decision taken by the EU Commission.

“We were motoring well up until then,” Jer recalled when asked to trace the roots of the family-run business. “In 2005 I bought out the other two lads and held on to the remnants of the equipment and stock. Armer Salmon gave me permission to use the name and I have been trading since 2006. My son Jamie then came on board with me and we take on lads when we are busy which is usually in the run up to the beet season.”

The Murphy’s business model is a simple but effective one that has stood them in good stead down through the years.

“Our bread and butter is buying machines and reconditioning them and business has been steady over the last 12 years or so. We’re selling six to seven machines per year, fully reconditioned machines while our regular customers bring their machines in to us for servicing. On top of what we sell, we service five to six machines for our customers per year.”

Jer and Jamie provide a backup service that is second to none and have spare parts available when their valued customers’ need them. Feedback from their customers is extremely valuable in the evolvement of their machines to keep up with the ever changing methods and techniques used in the agricultural industry.

It is also the case that their robust machines have proven to be dependable when it comes to meeting those all-important harvest deadlines. They have stood the test of the time when it comes to reliability and that is why their farmers come back for more on a regular basis.

Armer Salmon's machines are renowned nationally and beyond for their reliability

“Our bread and butter is buying machines and reconditioning them" Ger Murphy IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

27

“We guarantee anything we do and it’s very rare that we get anyone coming back with a problem.

All of our machines are manufactured to a high spec and we are always putting new stuff into them to enhance their performance.

“We make all the stuff here ourselves and take great pride in the work we do for individual farmers and contractors.”

Opening Monday to Friday (8am-5pm), the Murphy’s machines can be found throughout the island of Ireland and the UK as well. Jer is pleased to report that demand for their machines and services have been high in recent times.

“We’ve been a bit busier these last few years for some reason even though the yield didn’t match the acreage. We’ve carried out work on some machines that we manufactured 20 to 25 years ago, putting in modifications such as a automatic ploughs, electric valves and joystick controls. We are capable of making new machines and have had some enquires along that line in recent times.

That is something we might dabble in going forward.”

Efforts are currently underway to revive the sugar beet industry in Ireland and a commitment of farmers to grow beet will be required.

If that is something you are currently considering,

The Murphy family business is located in Clonegal, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford

look no further than Jer Murphy and Armer Salmon for your beet harvester needs. He can be contacted at the number above.

Armer Salmon stock all parts for Armer harvesters and seeders

Best Wishes To Armer Salmon From

Eamonn & Sean Tracey AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTORS

Specialists in BEET SPRAYING, SOWING & HARVESTING

ALL TYPES OF SPRAYING WORK CARRIED OUT AND TILLAGE WORK

Garryhill, Bagnalstown, Co. Carlow

Call Eamonn 087 4125627 Sean 0858165825 Email: eandstracey@gmail.com

28

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Jer and Jamie Murphy have nearly 40 years experience in the design, development and manufacture of beet harvesters

MULCAHY Best Wishes To Armer Salmon From

AGRI SERVICES

MUNSTER LARGEST SUPPLIER OF ARMER SALMON & THYREGOD PARTS Large selection of Tillage Wearing Parts In Stock

Tel: 087 2944727

Email: mulcahyagri@gmail.com

Best Wishes & Continued Success To

Armer Salmon From

O’BRIEN ROAD, CARLOW

ALL LEADING BRANDS OF CAR Commercial & Agricultural

Tyres • Wheel Alignment • Balancing • Servicing NCT Check & Repairs• Diagnostics Focus Lights • Brakes & Shocks Exhausts & Towbars • Car & Truck Wash

Tel: 059- 91 33833

Drennan Agri Contractors

Niall Carroll Sons & Daughter

Oldtown, Cullohill, Portlaoise, Co. Laois Tel:087 253 9353

Continued Best Wishes To Armer Salmon

Proud to support Armer Salmon

Best Wishes To Armer Salmon

WILLIAM WHELAn

Monaughrim, Clonegal, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford

T: 059 9155715 M: 087 2512120 E: whelanelectrical@eircom.net

FOR ALL YOUR ELECTRICAL WORK INDUSTRIAL & COMMERCIAL

AGRI CONTRACTORS

Call 087 230 8181

NIALL DWAN

Continued Best Wishes To Armer Salmon From Lower Graigue, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary

Contact Niall 087 2508142

Best Wishes & Continued Success To Armer Salmon IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

29

H&T Construction designed_Layout 1 25/03/2019 11:34 Page 1

H&T Construction offer the complete service

H&T Construction offer a turnkey service

Established in 2005, Kilkenny based H&T Construction has earned a reputation for delivering a quality service to its ever-increasing customer base.

The company has many years’ experience in the industry

Helen Carroll and the film crew from Ear to the Ground, along with Tomand James Murphy as well as H&T Construction’s Stephen Barcoe, John Murphy, Paul Treacy and Robbie Hennessy

Contact Details: H&T Construction Powerswood, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny T: Robbie - 087 989 3024 / Paul - 087 642 9098 30

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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Happy customers. From l/r: Robbie Hennessy, Tom and James Murphy, Paul Treacy

C

From l/r: James Bryan (farmer), Paul Treacy, Robbie Hennessy, John Bryan

ompany directors Robert Hennessy and Paul Treacy are qualified carpenters that decided to set up their own business 14 years ago and they haven’t looked back since, despite coming through arguably the worst recession that the country has ever since just a few short year’s after the business’ genesis.

Specialising mainly in the agricultural building sector, their reputation for providing an excellent service through quality workmanship has saw them expand into other areas.

“The majority of our work over the years has been for the agricultural industry and that is what got us through the recession,” said Robert.

“However, we would carry out all types

of building work and have been involved in projects on schools, carparks, swimming pools, roofing, houses etc.

The company has experienced many changes over the last 14 years, but one thing that has remained the same is their dedication to customer satisfaction.

“It is all about the customer at the end of the day. The customer expects a high standard of work and that is what we aim to deliver.”

A dedicated team of four are employed directly by the company, while they use many trusted sub-contractors to carry out their work to the standard that not only they expect, but their customers’ demand.

“We would use a number of subcontractors who we have worked with

down through the years. For any blocklaying we do, a guy called Paul Ryan does that, while Richard Murphy does the tarring for us. Our concrete would come from Hennessy Concrete generally, while we would use Doyle’s and Roadstone as well from time to time.”

It's ongoing success based upon a reputation for the highest quality of project delivery whilst adopting a proactive and collaborative working approach. The high level of repeat business achieved is a testament to the standards that they deliver too.

“The majority of the people that we work for would be repeat customers and I suppose the fact that they are getting us back to do more work speaks for IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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itself.

“We treat every job as if it’s our own and every job, no matter how big or small, gets the same attention. We cover all of Kilkenny. Word of mouth recommendations are the best form of advertising and we’ve been fortunate that our high standard of work has resulted in additional work.”

As stated, the agricultural sector is where H&T Construction Ltd is at its busiest and they provide a number of services within this sector.

They specialise in all concrete formwork and laying of concrete floors and yards. Whether it be slatted tanks, silage pits, grain stores or cattle sheds, they provide a full service from start to finish.

No stone is left unturned to ensure every project, no matter the size of the job, gets just as much attention and appreciation as those before and after.

There are a number of key areas to focus on when working on a project and one of these key areas is health and safety which Robert stressed is something that they are continuously focused on.

“We would take health and safety very seriously. It is an area that needs to be addressed more in the farming community. At the end of the day nothing is worth an injury or worse a fatality. But, we would place a great emphasis on this and we are audited on a regular basis and we ensure that everything is done properly.”

The focus on quality is key to the success of the business, states Robert who added that both he and Paul are very much hands on in the business.

“Like I said our reputation is what gets us our work and we are very conscious of the need to protect that at all times. It would be very easy for us to sit back and be less hands on, but the fact that we are on site, we can guarantee our work.”

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IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Every job is completed to an extremely high standard

Robert revealed that the attitude of the farmer that they are dealing with has changed over the years as a younger generation takes over the agricultural industry and despite there being a number of grants available for farm buildings, farmers are funding a lot of the work themselves.

“A lot of the work that we are involved in is funded by the farmer themselves and not the grants.

There are a lot of progressive young farmers out there and they are spending money to maximise the potential of their farms.”

Robert concluded by adding that they are hoping to delve

more into the building trade and in particular the construction of houses.

“We feel that we have the experience to carry out work in any part of the building industry and we are certainly looking to diversify into other areas and hopefully progress from there.”

Curran Sawmills designed_Layout 1 25/03/2019 11:19 Page 1

Curran Sawmills machine locally sourced Douglas fir, pine, larch and spruce

Curran Sawmills is at the top of the tree

Galway-based Curran Sawmills (Gabriel Curran & Sons Sawmills Ltd) has been a leading supplier of processed timber products to the agricultural, construction, landscaping, domestic, energy and rail sectors since it was established in 1981 by Gabriel Curran.

A

dhering to the highest international standards, certified FSE renewable, CE certified and NSAI regulated with wood graded to ISEN 14081-1:2016, this exceptional family-run business combines quality with value and decades of experience to bring customers the best possible results.

Curran Sawmills’ innovative, modern,

Logs coming into the sawmill for processing

state-of-the-art sawmill products are available in standard and non-standard sizes, in large sections and long lengths, and can be pressure-treated with Tanalith E or Tanatone’s unique and very durable process in green or brown, lasting at least 15 years. It is the sawmill that other sawmills call when they need something out of the ordinary.

When it comes to wood treatment, Curran Sawmills insists on using Tanalith E and Tanatone, which are the original and best-known brands of environmentally-friendly pressure treatment available. This process, applied on-site, gives you a performance wood product that will last for many years.

Curran Sawmills machine locally sourced Douglas fir, pine, larch and spruce, delivered on time at a very competitive rate, in particular post and rail fencing Galway. A whopping 95% of

timber is sourced from Coillte forests in Galway, Tipperary, Waterford and Wicklow.

The company’s timber, wood and lumber milling are perfect for your fencing, decking, treated wood, carcassing, construction, landscaping, sawdust and pallet needs. The Curran’s have years of experience in fulfilling all orders, which they are very happy to bring to your project.

The main products offered by Curran Sawmills are: kiln dried, strength-graded carcassing in lengths from 2.4m to 7.8m; pallet and packing case materials; fencing, including post and rail, corner and gate posts, picket boards and much more; machined timber, including decking, cladding and fencing; wood chip and sawdust.

Gabriel Curran continues to run the business along with his wife Carmel, sons Paul and Stephen, and a staff of

Curran Sawmills Cluide, Corrandulla, Co. Galway.

Tel: +353 (0)91 791 273 / +353 (0)86 124 7381 | Fax: +353 (0)91 789 776 Email: info@curransawmills.com | Web: www.curransawmills.com IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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Curran Sawmills designed_Layout 1 25/03/2019 11:19 Page 2

The company operates state-of-the-art saws and equipment in Co. Galway

Curran Sawmills is a leading supplier of processed timber products for the agriculture and commercial sectors

eight. The sawmill operates from Corrandulla, which is 17km north of Galway city and is also close to Headford and Tuam.

“We have a large and loyal customerbase in Ireland and the UK,” explains Paul Curran, who is Purchasing and Sales Manager.

“We have a great team here and stateof-the-art equipment, including a double band saw, a tandem saw which is used for breaking down logs as well as an edger and double band resaw. We are currently putting in a new pressure treatment plant and installed a biomass boiler system in 2004 which powers our dry kilns and has dramatically reduced our energy costs.

“We pride ourselves on being a family business which is committed to providing our customers with the best products and service on the market.”

Curran Sawmills supplies the farming

The family-run business combines quality with value and decades of experience to bring customers the best possible results

Logs being unloaded

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IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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and equine sector with a wide range of products, from post and rail fencing to gate posts, feeding troughs and sawdust for bedding. The company can also cater for all your timber needs when erecting a farm building and can supply poles for powerlines which are dried and treated, and are usually 16ft in length.

Manufactured from the highest quality Irish spruce, larch, pine and Douglas fir, Curran Sawmills Galway post and rail fencing is produced to the highest international standards with quality assurance by their skilled and experienced craftsmen.

Post and rail fencing has both practical and aesthetic appeal, being the tried and trusted solution for keeping in livestock as well as being a great boundary marker and blending seamlessly with the local environment in rural and agricultural locations too. Additionally, it’s a great investment given its long

life and durability. Curran’s kiln dried and pressure-treated wood stands the test of time, being able to weather year after year without needing to be replaced or maintained.

Curran Sawmills has an extensive range of post and rail options for you to choose from. It works great for equestrian arenas, walkways, sand pens and paddocks.

The company can supply sawdust and wood chip unbagged and loose by the tonne. Its sawdust and woodchips are stored indoors for best results and are used in bedding, paddocks, training gallops and for all sorts of livestock. One of Curran Sawmills’ largest customers is Bord na Mona, with about 80% of all woodchip produced destined for their electricity power plant in Edenderry, Co. Offaly.

Curran Sawmills would like to take this opportunity to thank their customers and suppliers for their continued support.

Best Wishes To Curran Sawmills

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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33 years and counting

Set-up over three decades ago, Hickey Engineering is today very much a leading supplier of structural steel & cladding throughout the country’s midlands. Founder and owner Tony Hickey told Irish Tractor & Agri all about a thriving company which has earned itself a glowing reputation over the years.

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hese days business is going well at Hickey Engineering and last year can go down as one of their best, with plenty of projects already lined up for 2019.

Based in Rahan, Tullamore, Co Offaly, the company employs 11 staff in total and is still run by its founder Tony Hickey after he’d set-up his venture on Easter Monday back in 1986.

Today, Hickey Engineering is a leading supplier of structural steel & cladding in the midlands, operating in its base just eight miles outside Tullamore, having

originally been established by Tony – a qualified fitter who had quit his 9 to 5 job to set up his own workshop.

He had initially started out working for local farmers by fixing trailers, bog machinery and general welding repairs before seeing an opening for a shed erector in the local area.

The rest, as they say, is history and today Hickey Engineering holds a glowing reputation for commitment to quality and competitive prices along with, of course, customer satisfaction.

It’s a business which prides itself on

holding more than 30 years’ experience in the fabrication and erection of a wide range of structural steel buildings for both the agricultural and industrial sectors.

Irish Tractor & Agri caught up with Tony Hickey to hear all about this successful venture from the man himself.

“We started off here in ’86, I had just turned 21 years old and at the time it was a bad recession here,” he recalled.

“We were just into general fabrication at the time and then I ended up getting into the farming industry by doing sheds

Hickey Engineering Killeranny, Rahan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly R35 VW68 Tel: (057) 935 5762 | Web: hickeyengineering.ie

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and farm buildings.”

“Then, of course, the grants got going so we went ahead from there. We’ve since done in excess of 3000 farm buildings, and over 1500 industrial units.

Usually after the ploughing championships we focus on farm buildings s that’s when there’s peak demand.”

He added: “We have done a lot of industrial work here too in order to have a mix of both. Johnny Flanagan of Flanagan Properties in Tullamore and the late Johnny Condron of Condron Concrete would have encouraged me in the early days to get into the heavy steel and industrial market. To both men I owe a huge thanks for encouraging me and subsequently giving me work.”

Tony has certainly been thankful for the encouragement as Hickey Engineering has since grown an impressive portfolio of farm, industrial and commercial buildings all throughout the midlands, while also continuing to provide a fiveyear guarantee on all their sheds.

It comes hand in hand with the CE certification, which the company was delighted to achieve back in 2015.

“The CE certification came in and you have to embrace change. We have all the necessary certification and we’d be certified here four years this year,” Tony beamed.

“When the recession came, we had a well-trained and skilled workforce, and to keep them in employment we got trained up for removing asbestos and replacing it with Kingspan insulated panel and standard single skin sheeting.

“I have good lads employed here and we’ve got a lot of work off Bord na Mona down through the years in the removal of asbestos sheeting and erection of new buildings. The farmers’ grants are still good, so business has been going well.”

Everything from domestic sheds to industrial buildings have become a large market for Hickey Engineering and the company has erected factories, warehouses, workshops, retail units of all sizes and specifications down through the years.

Their “A” Roof and Lean To type sheds are very popular for house holders who need a shed to facilitate storage, garage area and general workshop space, which are usually bigger than a timber version and are a quick build in comparison to the fully blocked type garage.

Through the availability of sports grants in recent years, Tony and his team have supplied and erected floodlights, ball stoppers, barriers around pitches and

Hugo Loonam Motors Cloghan, Offaly - Commercial Building

Equestrian shed recently completed

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Hickey Engineering has a glowing reputation for commitment to quality and competitive prices

Hickey Engineering is a leading supplier of structural steel & cladding in the midlands

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viewing stands for several GAA clubs and have also supplied and erected equestrian sheds used for indoor arenas, stable areas and covers over existing outdoor arenas. The first Equestrian job was Stables and Indoor Arena for the Deverell family at Annaharvey Equestrian Centre, Tullamore, Co. Offaly.

“To the Deverell family I owe a huge thanks for giving me a start in the Equestrian sector,” Tony commented.

Materials can be purchased from Hickey Engineering and you can erect the structure yourself. They also stock all materials from steel, timbers, sheeting, gutters, flashing to screws and bolts and can deliver them to your site and will only be a phone call away if you have any queries. “We also make all our own flashings so any bespoke or off-standard products can be produced.”

It’s all a far cry from when Tony first started out, as the Faithful County native explained himself.

“I started out never thinking I’d get to this stage – you probably wouldn’t have that at 21,” he said.

“I’ve up until recently drawn and detailed every building I’ve ever done and it’s somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 sheds completed over 30 years.”

This year Hickey Engineering look set to add a couple more to that tally, with a few projects having already gotten underway at the start of January.

“There are about three farm buildings that we’re on now at the start of 2019,”

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All sheds come with a 5 year guarantee

said the company’s founder.

“We do a lot of work for Leinster Timber Frames, Condron Concrete Works and Flanagan Properties and then, of course we’re working for a lot of local farmers over the past 30 years.

We also Supply & Fit support steel in houses, schools and shops all fully all certified.

“I think younger farmers see now how important insurance and traceability certification is. If there’s a problem, they can come back to you and we always give a minimum of a five-year guarantee on all our buildings.”

So, what’s been the secret to Hickey Engineering’s success these last 33 years?

For Tony, it has largely come down to “the personal touch and the personal service that we provide,” he said.

“I’d advise people, especially with farm buildings, on ventilation, facing of sheds away from prevailing winds, and height and width of doorways to allow bigger machines in and out.

“I wouldn’t be just a sales man, the customer always has to be happy.”

Looking to the months ahead, Hickey Engineering’s owner and founder says he won’t be stressing out over the workload, but more leaning towards what he feels is the most crucial aspect of the business.

“I wouldn’t be overly worried about work, let’s just put it that way,” Tony stated plainly.

“Safe and healthy work practices of employees is always a focus for us because you don’t want to see anybody getting hurt.”

Hear, hear.

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Worrell Harvesting – a pioneer in wood biomass

The Worrells moved into haulage in 1998 and currently operate eleven trucks.

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Pioneering whole-tree harvesting in Ireland, Worrell Harvesting are leading the way in wood biomass. Irish Tractor & Agri travelled to Ballybrittas in County Laois and interrupted founder Kenneth Worrell’s busy schedule to get an update on developments at this progressive, family-run company, which provides a complete range of forestry services.

s the complete forestry company, Worrell Harvesting offers a wide range of services, from timber harvesting and haulage to whole-tree harvesting (reforestation costs are reduced as they remove brash in almost its entirety), site clearance and farm forestry.

In recent times, the County Laois based operator – established in 1992 and fronted by brothers Kenneth, Colin and Neil Worrell – has moved more and more into the market of biomass harvesting and supplying woodchip for

energy, investing up to €3.6 m in expanding this side of the business.

The perfect way of getting energy from nature, Worrell woodchip is the cleaner, greener option. At present, as a nation, we rely on fossil fuels to provide 90% of our energy … but fossil fuels are expensive, environmentally unfriendly and are becoming depleted. They create high CO2 emissions and expose Ireland to heavy penalties under the Kyoto Protocol.

In contrast, woodchip / biomass is home grown, renewable, sustainable,

carbon neutral, non-polluting and environmentally friendly.

Woodchip is a natural product derived from trees grown in Irish forests. Worrell Harvesting sources its woodchip from pine and spruce harvested from local forests and delivers nationwide using walking floors or tipping trailers. Moisture content is available from 25% to 60%. As the company has a large supply of logs and woodchip in stock, security of supply is guaranteed.

Forestry owners can get up to 100% more for their forests (over 100 tonnes

Worrell Harvesting Ltd, Killenure, Ballybrittas, Portlaoise, County Laois.

Tel: 045 529574 | Mobile: 087 2599372 | Fax: 045 529575 | Email: info@worrellharvesting.ie | Web: www.worrellharvesting.ie

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“We can provide a biomass harvesting options to the landowner and maximise the return of commercial and pallet logs, pulp and the waste branches from the forest.”

per hectare in 1st thinnings when full tree is harvested and all the small dead trees are removed) by partnering with Worrell Harvesting, who are always looking to secure timber from private growers be that from clearfell, thinning, fire-damaged wooded areas, roadside timber or trees removed for motorway maintenance / roadway construction, hedgerows etc.

They purchase both hardwood (where the stem is used for firewood and tops of trees go for biomass use) and softwood and provide prompt payment.

Supplying woodchip in different grades for boilers, animal bedding and horse gallops, Worrell Harvesting have been involved in biomass for the last ten years and the treatment of brash has changed considerably in that time. Over that time, they have adapted harvesting methods to suit various sites to get the maximum return for the grower, finding that not one method fits all. The Irish climate is so wet that the brash can rot instead of losing moisture if not harvested and stacked correctly.

Worrell Harvesting’s increasing involvement in biomass / woodchip offers great benefits to landowners. “We can provide a biomass harvesting options to the landowner and maximise the return of commercial and pallet logs, pulp and the waste branches from the forest,” Kenneth notes. “It’s an ideal way of getting more money for the grower and reducing reforestation costs, whilst also meeting our targets going forward under the SSRH (Support

Established in 1992, Worrell Harvesting continues to move with the times.

Scheme for Renewable Heat), which hopefully is coming out shortly.

“There is going to be growing demand for this product and landowners can supply it in a sustainable way. The ESB are putting up a tender and suggesting that they might have to import woodchip – but why import it when we already have it? We have our own energy source here in Ireland, ready for harvesting, so why not use it?”

Prior to setting up Worrell Harvesting, the Laois man had operated two teams, one in the east and one in the west, each with 15 men with chainsaws harvesting softwood forestry plantations. When the company was formed, the first machine was a Brunett 678. Six months later, they bought their first harvester, a Norcar 490 with Silvatec harvesting head.

The Worrells moved into haulage in 1998, and by 2003 had ten trucks on the

road, generally hauling their own logs and biomass. They have continued to invest in machinery, constantly replenishing and upgrading their stateof-the-art, specialist fleet. To this end, Worrell Harvesting have recently taken delivery of two new Scania 580 V8 trucks from Sweden and two Legras walking floor trailers, which were manufactured in France.

The current inventory of equipment comprises eleven trucks, 15 timber trailers, six walking floor trailers, two chippers, two Ponsse Scorpions Harvesters , three John Deere harvesters and seven forwarders, with two more machines on order.

The chippers – an American CBI 484 800 hp high output mounted on a Volvo truck with Kelsa crane and a Komptech 5010 480 hp mounted on a MAN truck with an Epsilon crane – offer Worrell IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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A pioneer in wood biomass, Worrell Harvesting is the complete forestry company

One of the key strengths of Worrell Harvesting is that they enable growers to get more money from their forests.

Harvesting the capacity to produce up to 100,000 tonnes of woodchip per annum.

Longstanding woodchip customers include Aurivo Co-op, Danone Nutrition Ireland, Bord Na Mona, Edenderry Power Masonite. and a growing number of other businesses, large and small.

Kenneth feels that the woodchip market in Ireland at present is underdeveloped. He says that all the forestry industry can do is push product to the market and trust that the aforementioned SSRH incentives will generate a good market for biomass. If this is not done, then the product will have to be exported, with enquiries for biomass already received from England, Sweden and Denmark.

New methods of harvesting can massively increase the return from 42

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stands of timber and reduce reforestation costs. Worrell Harvesting have devised an efficient method of biomass harvesting whereby they do not drive on the brash and harvest the tree in a different direction. The logs are taken to the roadside in the normal way.

The brash is left in heaps around the site so they will lose their needles for a period of six-twelve months, the length of time dependent on season of harvesting and weather conditions.

The brash is collected when the needles have fallen off. The branches are extracted with a specially-adapted forwarder and piled on the side of the road for two-three months before chipping.

One of the many benefits of this method is that the site is left clean and

tidy, ready to plant with no windrowing required. Furthermore, the needles are spread all over the site for nutrient value and not limited to windrows, while the maintenance and establishment is a lot easier as the ground is clean.

Also, the grower gets a return on branches and it allows for a full stocking of trees for the next crop with a higher value tree (no heavy-branched trees beside the windrows). Additionally, it is easier to thin the next crop and the risk of windblow is also reduced.

With the demand for wood energy biomass on the rise as more and more companies strive to reduce their carbon footprints by switching their energy source from non-renewable fossil fuels to renewable wood, whole-tree harvesting has become an extremely attractive proposition.

As Worrell Harvesting specialise in harvesting all above-ground biomass, they are helping growers to extract maximum value from their woodlands.

The advantages of biomass harvesting in clearfells are manifold. Essentially, the grower gets more money from his forest.

This is an area that Kenneth Worrell has pioneered in Ireland, taking inspiration from his peers in Scandinavia, and one that is generating a significant increase in business.

Removing the biomass amounts to better and more efficient forest management, generating more revenue for the grower, resulting in a clean and tidy site, lower greenhouse gases and a lower cost of getting the brash windrow.

The next generation crop will have a full stocking of trees – 14% of the land for replanting can be taken up with windrows. Reducing the risk of windblow in the next crop because the 1st harvesting operation is not affected or restricted when there is no windrows.

This crop in turn will have a higher value

Like us on facebook Worrell harvesting Ltd

See us on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ N5Ji9GQP8

Forestry owners to get better value from your forest contact us for free Quote and no management charges.

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Best Wishes & Continued Success To Worrell Harvesting

TIPPERS • FLAT • LOW LOADERS TAUT LINERS • BULK FEED BLOWERS LOGISTICS WITHOUT LIMITS Jamestown, Ballybrittas, Co. Laois

www.noonstransport.com Tel: 086-2619768, Fax: (057) 8626901

MURRAY TREE CARE SERVICES

Best Wishes To Worrell Harvesting, From

SPECIALISTS IN DANGEROUS TREE REMOVAL & SITE CLEARANCE Monasterevin, Co. Kildare Contact Brian Murray Fassaugh, Email: murraytreecare@gmail.com

Contact +353 (0) 86 885 7179

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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Noel Griffin's parents, Eamonn and Eithne, received the Waterford Farm Safety award 2018 on his behalf from Hooper Dolan Insurances CEO Cathal Lowe

The highest standards of safety

The winner of the inaugural Hooper Dolan sponsored Waterford Farm Safety Awards in association with Teagasc was announced back in January and Noel and Sinead Griffin walked away with a Waterford Crystal trophy and €2,000 prize money.

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he judging panel for the awards consisted of John McNamara, Teagasc health and safety officer; Sue Phelan, Kildalton College; and Kieran O’Connor, O’Connor Communications; and a WLR FM agricultural correspondent.

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animal handling facilities, buildings, slurry pits, farm equipment, grain and feed storage, meal bins, farm yard, electrics, farmyard lighting, children’s’ play area and farmer health checks.

The Awards were open to all farms and all enterprises in Co. Waterford and whittled down to five finalists. Dairy farmer Noel ticked all of those boxes.

Ably assisted by wife Sinead and children Jack (18), Henry (17), Maeve (15) and Eimear (12), he milks a 185strong herd at Cappagh, north of Dungarvan. Special mention must also go to Noel’s uncle John Hickey who works on the farm and had done so all his life, and is an invaluable help to Noel and all the family.

The Griffin family were judged to have the highest standards of safety, from their dairy parlour and slurry facilities, to farmyard lighting, machinery and a children’s play area.

Chair of the judging panel John McNamara said: “Farming needs constant health and safety management to prevent accidents due to its hazardous nature, and we found that participants were very motivated to manage farm health and safety on a continuing basis.

“In addition, we observed numerous innovative safety features to solve farmspecific problems, clearly showing that farm safety was in participants’ mindsets.”

Noel Griffin was pleasantly surprised when his family farm was announced as the winner…

“It was a nice surprise to get and great recognition for how serious we take Health & Safety here on the farm,” he commented when reflecting on his win.

“Our yard is a fairly new build. My father (Eamonn) was a guard in Cork city, took early retirement in 1994 and started

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“The award was great recognition for how serious we take Health & Safety here on the farm

Noel with some of the Norwegian Red pedigree cows in his dairy herd

farming here at my mother Eithne’s home place.

“We have added on to the yard and farm over the years, bought additional quota and expanded. There is plenty of room around the yard for machinery to turn comfortably and it’s always kept tidy and clean. Along with a good layout, that is the most important thing overall.”

As a farmer you are responsible for the health, safety and welfare of yourself, employees and others that may be affected by what you do. Putting in place measures to minimise the risk of injury is very much part of Noel’s approach to his farm. The judging panel was also impressed with an underpass that was

Noel Griffin implements a spring calving system and his 185 strong herd is a three way cross between Fresian, Norwegian and Jersey.

constructed back in 2006 for the movement of cattle.

“It was the first private underpass in County Waterford,” Noel revealed. “Another feature that the judges liked was how we controlled the house part of the yard. When the kids were younger we installed an iron railing at the back end of the house that meant when they went outside to play they were safe in a play area and not into the yard.”

Noel implements a spring calving system and his 185 strong herd is a three way cross between Fresian, Norwegian and Jersey. He operates a 20 unit Herringbone parlour and supplies Glanbia who nominated him for the award. In addition, the Griffin family breeds pedigree Norwegian Bulls.

“We do a small bit of beef but I’m thinking of getting out of that and rounding off the cows at 200,” he answered when asked: if there were any plans in the pipline for further expansion of his enterprise.

“Brexit is very much on everybody’s mind at the moment and the main concern is not knowing what it will. Farmers are asking themselves: ‘do I spend?’, ‘Do I borrow?’. Personally, I wouldn’t like to have too much money borrowed at this point in time.”

Noel subscribes to the theory that a safe environment helps maximise income and ensure a quality of life.

“Life is for living and you have to enjoy life,” he said.

“Everything falls into place once you have a nice environment to work in. Some farmers are always rushing and that’s how accidents happen. Farmers have to learn how to slow down.”

Wise words from Waterford’s Farm Safety award winner for 2018.

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Closing in on seven decades

Murray Agri in Co Mayo continues to offer a top quality service to its clients all throughout the west of the country. Irish Tractor & Agri learned more from the man running the show down in Balla these days, Calum Murray.

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till very much a family operation, Murray Agri has not only concentrates on silage harvesting but its repertoire of services see the company providing slurry work, baling, muck and lime spreading and reseeding to name just a few for its customers.

The family business is now up and running an impressive 67 years and continues to provide a top quality service to a large customer base, having built up a solid reputation for both reliability and

efficiency.

Calum Murray has been in charge of running the business for four years now after taking over from his father Fintan and uncle James – both of whom still help out with the company and offer Calum business advice whenever he needs it.

Irish Tractor & Agri got the lowdown from Calum recently about what the company has been up to lately, its machinery fleet and hopes in general for 2019.

The ompany provide a top quality slurry spreading service and recently invested in a brand new umbilical slurry piping system

Contact Details Murray Agri Lagaturn, Balla, Co. Mayo Calum Mobile: 087 3210994 | Fintan Mobile: 087 9956894

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“Murray Agri itself is going about five years now as a company but my family has been in this since my grandfather started it back in 1952,” explained Calum.

“Right now my older brother Shane is involved and the younger one Darren helps out during the summer months. My father Fintan still looks after the cattle and I’d be going to him and his brother James for advice on different things.”

Since being set-up by Jimmy Murray in 1952, many of the same customers and their families have been dealing with the Murrays ever since.

Jimmy’s sons Fintan and James ran the business for decades before handing the reins to Calum and continue to farm over 200 acres of land concentrating on tillage and beef.

As aforementioned, the range of services which the company offers is a vast one which has helped it to succeed down through the decades.

“We’ve a wide variety of services that we offer here, whether it be re-seeding, digger work, slurry spreading, lime spreading, soil, combining or silage,” Calum outlined.

“It’s something we’ve always done and will continue to do so long as we’re here.

“I’m the third generation spreading lime for McGrath’s Quarries in Cong (Co Mayo).”

That considered it’s not hard to understand why Murray Agri has such a loyal customer base.

From the days when Jimmy Murray himself was in charge, they’ve always put the customer first and business at the moment certainly reflects that, according to Calum.

“Business is going steady,” he stated.

“We’ve a loyal customer base here and a lot of them would be local.

“There are lads out there that are a small bit fearful of Brexit looming because there’s a bit of uncertainty about it at the minute. If everyone can just hold hopefully it’ll be alright.”

So far, 2019 has been going according to script for the Murrays as they remain as busy as ever with work for their clients whether it be in regards to digger work, hedge-cutting or lime spreading.

So what has been the secret to success down through all these years for the family?

The way Calum sees it, the customer’s always right and consistent quality in service is hard to argue with from any perspective.

“As I said, a lot of them would be local and we’ve always offered a very good service for them. We’d pride ourselves

Silage harvesting is one of many services provided

The Murrays have always shown strong faith in the John Deere brand

on our service here,” he stated plainly.

“The way I see it, you’re only as good as your last job. That’s the way I’d be looking at it – that you have to pride yourself on your work.”

As for the machinery that the Murrays are operating with down in Lagaturn, they’ve never strayed too far away from

the trusted John Deere brand when it comes to their tractors.

They also invested in a brand new umbilical slurry piping system last year which has proved a safe bet so far going by the amount of slurry spreading work they’ve been keeping on top of since.

“Altogether we have seven tractors IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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Murray Agri have built up a solid reputation for both reliability and efficency

which are mostly made up of John Deere. We’ve one Deutz and also invested in a slurry piping system last year which has been going well for us since,” said Calum.

“We find John Deere to be a very reliable tractor. You can put any driver up on a John Deere and they can drive the machine because they make it easy for you.

“We have just invested in a new JCB 419 from ECI and are looking forward to operating it into the future.”

In this business, Calum has learned that having your wits about you and the right people around you is often more important than the machines you’re operating with.

“You always have to be thinking outside the box in this line of work,” he pointed out.

“I’ve been at it since I was knee height to a grasshopper and have learned a lot down through the years. I suppose you could say I’m still learning every day in this business.”

Noel McEllin Ltd Tree Services Manulla, Castlebar. Office:094-9032133 M:087-8109589 Wishing Continued Success To Murray Agri., From

Tree Felling | Dangerous Tree Removal Tree Pruning / Shaping | Topping Crown Reduction | Chipping/Mulching Stump Grinding/ Removal Industrial & Domestic Site Clearance Ground Reinstatement All Debris Removed Off Site

Access Platform Hoists up to 80 Ft. Large and Small Chippers We also offer a range of other services including Round Baling | PIt Silage Slurry Spreading | Lime Spreading Hedge Cutting | Ploughing/ Seeding/ Rolling | Land Reclamation

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2019 is simply going to be about more of the same as the family business nears closer and closer to what will be a remarkable seven decades in the agri industry.

Calum concluded: “As I said, the slurry has been going well for us for a while and we’d be doing a lot of work with the umbilical system we have now.

“Finally to finish we would like to thank all our loyal customers and suppliers who have worked with us in the past and hopefully long into the future.

D.Corless Agri Best Wishes & Continued Success To Murray Agri

Mobile: 087-2549871

Mountdelvin, Cloonfad, Ballyhaunis, Co. Roscommon

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Ready for the silage season

The farmers' choice

Clingan Contracts is a long-running and popular agricultural contracting business providing an unrivalled service from the heart of Ulster. We dropped into the thirdgeneration family business' base in County Down and got an insight into day-today operations from joint-proprietor Steven Clingan.

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ounty Down based Clingan Contracts specialises in all aspects of agricultural contracting - silage, slurry, reseeding etc. Though the economy has

made life difficult for everybody in Ireland over the past decade, he is glad to report that he's been very busy for the last two or three years.

Trevor and David Clingan developed

the business from modest beginnings and gradually built up their own fleet of tractors and associated agricultural machinery.

These days, David and his nephew

Top of the range machinery is used on every job

Clingan Contracts Dromara, Co Down Tel: 07714 660340 IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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Stephen run the operation and for some, like the Clingan's, agricultural contracting is simply in the blood. It's a vocation, something that comes naturally. Stephen was born into contracting and he can't imagine having done anything else with his life. He's passionate about the land and takes great pride in his stunning, finely-tuned fleet and the comprehensive range of services provided to customers all over the county and beyond.

A tremendous investment of personal care and attention to detail goes into every job, allied to an innate understanding of the land and a steely determination to get the job done right and on time! - every time.

To ensure all this, Clingan Contracts run a state of the art fleet of machinery that is kept in pristine condition and upgraded on a regular basis.

"You have to keep a fresh fleet.

Running old machines doesn't work for me. The newer you buy, the better. You'll get the best out of them when you have them from new. We tend to do all our own servicing and repairs ourselves, but if there's anything we can't do then Kennedy's will take care of it for us.�

Included in the machinery are a MacHale round baler, tankers, Case diggers, mini diggers, a Claas 960 harvester, umbilical slurry systems and much more. New Holland is the preferred choice of tractor and has been for many years, with Steven revealing that they shop around when purchasing their machinery. “We would definitely have a look around before buying anything and we have often gone over to England to purchase tractors and other machinery.

The machinery fleet is kept in pristine condition and upgraded on a regular basis

Slurry spreading is the main focus during the winter months

Slurry work takes up a lot of their time

The Clingan’s do a lot of digger work for farmers in the area

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A Claas 960 Harvester is used for cutting silage

When spending on machinery, you are looking at spending thousands of pounds, so it is in your own interest to shop around.

“We try to upgrade as often as possible to ensure that the machinery is in excellent working order which helps make our job that bit easier.”

Steven added that they are kept busy throughout the year through the contracting work, while they also farm themselves with suckler cows plentiful on their land.

“We would have around 220 cattle all of which would be suckler cows, so we are kept busy there as well. The contract work is all year round, we would do a lot of digger work for farmers as well as providing the other services.”

Of course, all of the success they have achieved wouldn't have been possible without a loyal customer base and to this end, Clingan Contracts are very fortunate.

“The majority of our customers would be with us years, some would go back a generation or two and we are lucky in the sense that they are all within 10 to 15-mile radius of us, so we can move from one job to another very quickly.”

During the summer months, silage takes over as the team get through their workload as efficiently and quickly as possible although the weather does play its part.

“Last year was unreal in that there was no real growth during the summer months due to the hot weather that we had and we were actually behind schedule for the second cut, which has happened before, but its usually the rain that has slowed us down and not a heatwave.

“This work is very weather dependent, but we haven't had bad summers in general. During the winter months we would be spreading slurry. We use both the umbilical system and tankers, depending on the land we are working on.

“The land here is generally pretty wet in parts as it is steep land, but you just have to get on with the work when it is possible.”

Steven is happy with the direction of the business and feels that once they are providing the service that their customers are used too then there is no reason to change anything.

“We'll continue doing what we're doing,” he concludes. “I don't know any other trade and I don't think the farmers would like to see us doing anything else.

“You would want to love this work and have a good interest in it. I'm still passionate about this and so is David - he has a big interest in it.

“When you have a good way of working, farmers will get you in. Once you're providing a good service, they are more than happy.”

Allaistair Gribben

Best wishes & continued success to Clingan Contracts

Haulage

17 Farlough road, The Birches, Portadown, BT62 1UJ. Telephone Number: 07966 770847

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Servicing the forestry community

With the Eco-Log 688E Harvester you can really challenge gravity

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The GREMO 1050F Forwarder has an impressive payload capacity of 10.5 ton making ti a market-leader in its class

A recent study by Teagasc has reported strong demand for its forestry clinics from both farmers and non-farmers.

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here has been a particular increase in farmers under 40 who were interested in planting land. These farmers are mostly farming parttime and are looking for a way to make their farms more profitable in the long-term.

Farmers attending clinics were typically looking to plant around 7ha, usually on out-farms, to make them more commercially viable.

The knock-on effect of this is that there is more work in the industry and harvesters are continually upgrading their machinery in order to meet the demands of the market.

The majority of harvesters in Ireland turn to Swedish manufactured Gremo machinery as their first choice and when they do this, they are dealing with this country’s sole Gremo agent, Liam Bergin who runs LB Gremo Ltd

from his premises in Tullamore, Co Offaly.

As the sole agents for Gremo, Liam and his team of five employees supply and service the company's range of products include the EcoLog, SP Harvesting Heads and Log Max Harvesting Heads. With their exceptional back-up service and fully equipped mobile servicing unit, they are the ideal partners for your forestry business.

“The business was established in 2006 and the products that we are selling have helped us grow over the years. Gremo are the leading manufacturer in Eco-Log, SP Harvesting Heads and Log Max Harvesting Heads,” said Liam.

Gremo´s history dates back to the early sixties, when a Danish entrepreneur founded the company at Fredrikshamn, Denmark. Originally to manufacture comprised dumper carts and forest trailers for tractors. With the aim to further develop the company the Swedish production facilities of forestry machines, TimmerVille at Huskvarna were acquired.

In 1988 Gremo was offered for sale and acquired by a Swedish family.

They started manufacture at Ätran, the same place where the factory is

LB Gremo Ltd Unit B Nure House Cloncollig Industrial Estate Tullamore Co Offaly Tel: 086-6079564 Email: liambergingremo@hotmail.com

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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LB Gremo Ltd are ideally placed to service their customers and have two service vans on the road at all times

still situated.

Gremo has in many respects always been an innovative forerunner. As an example Gremo was, in the early nineties, the first company to as standard introduce catalytic purifiers, thus considerably improving the working conditions of the operator in above all thinning stands. Other examples of first introduction were the standard provision of environmentfriendly oil and the Powershift-gearbox.

When Weland acquired Gremo back in 2002 products and company had passed through a powerful development. For instance in 2005 came the launching of the forwarder 950F and the harvester 1050H. The design office has received considerable means to be able to meet future requirements, which is already proved by their present machines.

Gremo has led the challenge in making the customer feel comfortable with their machines, but also to develop, manufacture and sell forest machines causing as little damage as possible in the forest without renouncing efficiency and performance.

“There would be a huge amount of repeat custom coming to us. Some guys would be doing business with us since we started up. That is a sign that we are selling a good product.”

Gremo insist that their employees are trained to the highest standards with technicians being brought in from all over the European branches for training on a regular basis.

“There would be training taking place at the main headquarters in Ätran, Sweden for the service technicians from our most important markets, which are Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, Switzerland and Austria.”

Some of the leading products that the company manufacturers are the Gremo 1050F, which is an ideal 1st thinning forwarder. Underneath the bonnet you will find a powerful Cummins Engine with Common Rail system. The engine has a torque exceeding 600Nm over a wide rpm-range while remaining light, compact and quiet. It is equipped with 54

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

GreControl allowing the user to maximize efficiencies and power, increasing profitability. The Gremo 1050F has an impressive payload capacity of 10.5 ton making it a market leader in its class.

The Gremo 1050H is an innovative harvester based on the well approved previous model HPVR. It is equipped with a stronger engine and a re-designed cab with curved window panes for improved visibility and working ambiance. The 1050H also features improved working hydraulics including a variable pump with higher flow-rate and a re-designed control system permitting easier setting of the boom via colour screen.

The customers are always looked after and Liam revealed that this is something that Gremo have always focused on down through the years.

“The fact that our customers often visit our ultramodern factory results in invaluable feedback to our designers, fitters, inspectors etc. direct from the user.

“We would have two service vans on the road at all times.

They give an instant response and are always on call to deal with any issues a customer may have.”

Liam added that dealing directly with the customer means that he and his team can offer a more personal service to their clients.

“I would know all my customers very well and they know that I am just a phone call away. It is important to give that personal touch, which is appreciated by them.”

Every four or five years, Gremo release new models to keep up to date with the market and Liam is pleased with the direction of the business.

“Yes, we’d be happy with the way business is going. We have our core set of customers, while we are seeing an increase in new customers, so that is always a positive. The main aim is to continue providing the service we are offering and try to improve on that if we can.”

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Jamun Ltd CLEARFELL & THINNINGS Best Wishes To LB Gremo Ltd From

Rathbane, Crossmolina, Co. Mayo

T: 086 8643667 E: jimmymunnelly@hotmail.co.uk IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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Best Protein award for the O’Donovan farm of Cork The O'Donovan family proudly show off the silverware at the 2018 NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards

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Liam O'Donovan milks a herd of 300 Jersey cross cows

Liam & Delores O’Donovan Clohane Farm Ltd Clohane, Skibbereen, Co. Cork

Liam and Dolores O’Donovan from West Cork were declared the winners in the Best Protein Production category at the 2018 NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards.

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he NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards is an annual national award programme which recognises standards of excellence in dairy farming.

Dairy co-operatives throughout the country are invited to nominate their top suppliers for the awards each year. The farms nominated for the annual awards undergo a detailed assessment by an expert judging panel based on milk quality test results and technical reports spanning a full 12 month period in order to select a short-list of finalists.

The programme assesses the top dairy farms across a number of key areas: animal health and welfare; dairy and parlour facilities; pride and passion; continuous improvement; hygiene and sustainability and the environment.

The judges for the 2018 awards were Dr Jack Kennedy, Dairy Editor of the Irish Farmers Journal, Professor Pat Wall

from UCD and, Dr David Gleeson from Teagasc. Chef and food writer Clodagh McKenna was once again Food Ambassador for the 2018 awards.

As part of the judging process, judges carried out detailed assessments based on submitted nomination forms and technical reports which spanned a full 12-month period.

From this process, a short-list of nine finalists was compiled. The judges then arranged to visit each of the nine finalist farms for an inspection over the summer months.

The winners were announced in Dublin on October 3rd last and, on the night, Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed said: “The farmers who are nominated for the NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards are representing milk pools of hundreds or sometimes even thousands of dairy farmers in their own co-ops.

“These Awards are instrumental in

recognising the huge passion, sacrifice and hard work that Irish farmers carry out 24/7 365 days a year to produce a high-quality product revered all over the world.”

Zoe Kavanagh, CEO of the NDC, said “We are fortunate to be working with such a healthy, nutritious product produced to very high standards. And it is those high standards in Irish dairy farming that we are going to reward and celebrate today.

“Irish dairy produce has a superb reputation for quality in global markets.

In Ireland, our green countryside is a tremendous asset because the pasturebased model of dairy farming is a vital ingredient for the success of Irish dairy produce all over the world.”

Nominated by Drinnagh, Liam and Dolores O’Donovan of Clohane, Skibbereen, Co. Cork were the winners in the Best Protein Production category.

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"It's all down to breeding and grassland management" - Liam O'Donovan

Liam and Dolores are the fifth generation of farmers on their land. They have four daughters; Emma, Ruby, Eve and Annie.

Liam was born into a dairy farm and wanted to be a farmer from a young age. He started helping out on the family farm at 8 and went farming full time from the age of 18. He has been working on the farm for 35 years and won the Drinagh Quality Milk Award in 2017.

So what are the secrets of his success? “It’s all down to breeding and grassland management,” he answered, “they are the two key things on the protein side of it. The judges called out to see how we do things and our daily routine and they must have liked what they saw!”

He continued: “We are lucky down here in that there’s a long grass growing season and everyone is improving with grassland management. Milk produced off grass is a huge selling point for Irish dairy farmers when it comes to the rest of Europe.”

For each of the nine farms that were short-listed, the judges detailed the combined fat and protein percent for each month of the year, the total volume sold from the farm, the weighted average somatic cell count (SCC) and the total bacteria count (TBC). Those results helped in formulating the winning farms but a lot more detail and additional factors were course considered.

Their inspection of the O’Donovan farm revealed the following results: Milk Supply – 1,399,927; TBC (weighted) – 9.3; SCC (weighted) – 99.1; Butterfat % (weighted) – 4.36 and Protein % (weighted) – 3.69.

Liam left Darrara Agricutural College with a Green Cert in

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The O’Donovan’s continually invest in farm infrastructure as it is crucial for the oveall herd performance

1993 and spent a year in New Zealand before returning home in 1995. He took over the running of the family farm from his late parents, Billy and Suzie, in 2006 and has overseen a significant expansion of the family-run enterprise.Liam has one full time employee,Finbarr Coughlan and also employs part time labour.

“The herd is growing all the time, increasing by 30 every year.

We had 90 cows milking in 2006 but from 2012 onwards we have added to that number every year, particularly in the years since the milk quotas were abolished. Today we milk a herd of 300 Jersey cross cows,” he concluded.

Winters Renewables Designed_Layout 1 25/03/2019 12:31 Page 1

A Winters tale

Winters Renewables is a multifaceted business

Established in 2005, Winters Renewables is a multifaceted business specialising in the maintenance of biomass boiler systems, the supply of woodchip to commercial customers across Ireland as well as the supply of clean energy to the electricity grid via its state-of-the-art anaerobic digestion plant.

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ommitted to environmental sustainability, the Dromore, Co. Tyrone-based company has grown and evolved under the guidance of Gavin Winters. As sole Irish agents for Guntamatic high quality boiler systems, Winters Renewables are experts in specification, installation, fuel supply and maintenance of boiler

systems that offer low heating costs to commercial and domestic buildings.

An international market leader in the biomass heating sector, Guntamatic supplies a wide range of boilers to suit customers’ specific needs. Since launching their first woodchip boiler in 1985, the Austrian manufacturer has developed a wide range of boilers for

woodchip, wood pellets, logs and even grain. Winters Renewables installed numerous Guntamatic boilers before the Northern Ireland Heat Incentive Scheme lapsed a few years ago and had a dramatic effect on the demand for them.

However, they continue to maintain and service the same boilers.

“We’re service engineers supplying

Winters Renewables 17 Shaneragh Road, Dromore, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, BT78 3EJ. T: 0044 28 8289 8414 | M: 0044 7901 711092 | E: gavin@wintersrenewables.com | W: www.wintersrenewables.com IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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products and expertise into the renewables sector. Our customers include domestic, commercial and public sector generators with high-calibre heat solutions that have created millions of kilowatts of green heat with exceptionally low carbon footprint,” Gavin explains.

The holder of a Degree in Agricultural Engineering from Harper Adams University, Gavin also supplies customers with woodchip for their biomass heating systems. Having previously grown and harvested woodchip from willow grown on his own farm, he now buys it in log form from Michael Doherty Haulage in Omagh and sends it to Rodney Noble in Enniskillen for chipping. Gavin supplies up to 500 tonnes of woodchip per year, with the South West College in Omagh and Omagh Leisure Centre being among his biggest customers.

“I used to grow and harvest the willow myself, but it wasn’t paying me so I decided to buy it in instead,” he continues.

“I now grow mostly grass silage and some wholecrop rye which we use in our anaerobic digester. I own 50 acres of my own and rent a further 500-600 acres.”

All of the woodchip is dried in a 250m2 woodchip drying floor down to a moisture content of between 15-20%. Then the woodchip is screened in a three-way split screener to ensure consistent woodchip G30 specification. Winters Renewables’ woodchip storage facilities ensure the woodchip remains dry at all times. These facilities ensure a consistent high-quality woodchip product which optimises the performances of the boiler systems in which it is used.

Woodchip can be either tipped or blown into the stores using a woodchip blower fitted to the back of one of the company’s delivery trailers. The two other products produced from the screening process are fine dust, which is sold for animal bedding, and oversized chip, which is used as kindling for fire / log boilers.

Winters Renewables supplies customers that have 50kW woodchip boilers to customers that have 500kW boilers, which can burn over two tonnes of woodchip every day.

The addition of an AgriKomp anaerobic digester in 2013 has enabled Gavin to supply 500kW per hour to the NIE grid.

Everything from grass silage, wholecrop rye, chicken litter and cattle slurry is used to produce methane gas which is captured, filtered and piped into two gas engines to provide clean energy. All of the digestate that comes out of the digester goes back on the land as 60

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Logs which will be turned into woodchip

Winters renewables supplies up to 500 tonnes of woodchip per year

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The Agrispread 1200 manure spreader with Moscha swivel jet spreaders

fertiliser. Gavin also uses the waste heat from the engines to dry his woodchip.

Gavin contracts out the silage cutting to Dermot Maguire in Trillick and the

wholecrop harvesting to Killen Bros in Newbuildings, while Mark Russell looks after the wholecrop planting and spraying of same. He is self-sufficient

when it comes to everything else and runs an impressive fleet of tractors and farm machinery, including a New Holland T7 235, which was purchased new from Brian Keys Tractors three years ago, and two New Holland T7 210s.

Other plant operated by the hardworking Tyrone man include: a JCB 53660 for loading woodchip and filling the digester, 3,500-gallon and 3,000gallon SlurryKat slurry tankers, a ninemetre SlurryKat umbilical system with dribblebar, a Pottinger four-furrow reversible plough, an Alpego power harrow, a woodchip blower trailer, a woodchip screener and an AgriSpread dump trailer which is used for spreading mushroom compost drawn away from Esker Mushrooms in Dromore. Gavin purchased his SlurryKat equipment from Drumlish Farm Machinery. All servicing and maintenance of machinery is carried out inhouse.

In summary, Winters Renewables offers a one-stop solution for boiler maintenance and guaranteed woodchip supply and price stability. Gavin would like to take this opportunity to thank his many customers, both north and south of the border, for their continued support.

JN Contracts

Best Wishes To Winters Renewables, From

Family Run Business For All Your Agricultural Needs, No Job Too Small Or Too Big

R. Potts Haulage Ltd. Best Wishes & Continued Success To Winters Renewables, From

Telephone: 07736378885

Best Wishes & Continued Success To

Winters Renewables From

41 Drumanphy Road, Portadown BT62 1QY Tel:028-38 851855 Tel: 077683 43575

29 Erganagh Rd., Castlederg, Co. Tyrone BT81 7JQ

Telephone: 07710 946724 IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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Des Hunt Agri designed_Layout 1 26/03/2019 11:35 Page 1

By keeping farmers happy, the Hunts have benefited from a high volume of repeat business and have become one of the go-to contractors in mid-Roscommon for silage cutting, baling, slurry spreading and reseeding

Setting the standard for agri contracting in mid-Roscommon

Des Hunt (Ballydaly) Ltd. has been providing unrivalled agricultural contracting services across the midRoscommon region for the past 44 years. Irish Tractor & Agri interrupted Nathan Hunt’s busy Spring schedule to find out more about this exceptional secondgeneration family business.

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early four-and-a-half decades ago, hard-working Ballydaly, Tulsk, County Roscommon based farmer Des Hunt started offering keen contracting services to fellow farmers in the local area. The business was built up gradually down through the years on the back of outstanding levels of customer service and, today, Des’ sons Nathan and Gary 62

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The Hunts have always owned and operated top-quality, immaculately-maintained machinery

oversee a thriving operation.

Like any contractors worth their salt, the Hunts have always owned and operated top-quality, immaculatelymaintained machinery, which has enabled them to get their work done quickly, efficiently and with the minimum of fuss. By keeping farmers happy, they’ve benefited from a high volume of

repeat business and become one of the go-to contractors in Roscommon for silage cutting, baling, slurry spreading and reseeding.

Holding an Honours Degree in Agri Engineering from IT Tralee and having worked for Lely in Mullingar for twelve months, Nathan oversees all the tractor and machinery repairs and servicing

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himself and also offers expert, competitive maintenance services to other farmers and contractors.

Thus, it goes without saying that the stunning, well-oiled tractors and equipment assembled by Des, Nathan and Gary are central to the consistent delivery of professional, precise and prompt agri contracting solutions…

Des Hunt’s first tractor was a Fordson Super Dexta bought many moons ago and the Roscommon man decided to make the most of his equipment by offering services to neighbouring farmers. The fleet has been gradually expanded over the years and there are eight tractors at present – a John Deere 7530, three John Deere 6920s, a Same Silver 130, Same Silver 100.6, Same Antares 130 and Lamborghini Formula 135.

“The most recent addition was the 7530, which we bought two years ago,” Nathan notes. “We’re slowly transferring over to John Deere. As we run the garage here as well, we keep them all in very good nick. You have to be able to do that in this line of work. Pit silage, baling and slurry would be the three main components of our work, while we also do a bit of reseeding.”

Machinery-wise, Nathan and Gary run a JCB 414s, two Taarup 10x trailed harvesters and a Malone silage wagon as well as three John Deere 630 mowers, a pair of Lely 245 Xtracut balers, two McHale wrappers, three Redrock silage trailers, a Guttler GreenMaster for reseeding, a Redrock agitator for slurry alongside two 2,400gallon Major tankers – one with a dribble bar – and also a 1,000-litre sprayer. The newest addition to the fleet in March was a new Lely 247 rake.

It’s a superb collection of machinery that has been painstakingly sourced and meticulously maintained to ensure farmers of the best service possible in terms of both quality and price. “We try to buy good quality second-hand gear and tractors, if at all possible,” says Nathan. “The balers and mowers would be bought new but if there’s good value to be had in the second-hand market for the other machinery, either at home or in the UK, then we’ll invest.

“After that, the key is to keep everything in good shape. You have to keep everything serviced and in prime condition, otherwise you will run into

Des Hunt (Ballydaly) Ltd., Ballydaly, Tulsk, Castlerea,Co. Roscommon.

Tel: 087 246 4574 / 086 1987553

Excellent services are guaranteed

All the tractors and machinery are kept in prime condition

trouble in the summer. We do all the work here in our own garage and extend the garage service to other farmers and contractors, too, which helps keep us busy.”

Generally speaking, the catchment area covered is mid-Roscommon. “For reseeding, I’d travel a fair bit but the rest of it is confined to mid-Roscommon, where we’re lucky to have a strong core of loyal and long-serving customers,” continues Nathan, who started contracting alongside his father when he was 16 and is already something of a veteran at 27!

“In silage contracting, it’s all repeat business and you’d be doing the same

work year after year.”

And what’s the secret to securing this repeat work? “You just have to try to do as good a job as you can while you are there - be punctual and provide a good service that farmers are happy with. We are very lucky that there are very good farmers in this area and they look after us fairly, once the work is done properly.

That’s all you can ask.”

For the past three years, Nathan and Gary Hunt have been running the business, while Des has taken a backseat but still keeps a watchful eye on how his sons are getting on. During peak season in the summer, gainful employment is generated for six men – IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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“Pit silage, baling and slurry would be the three main components of our work, while we also do a bit of reseeding.”

A convoy of classy tractors from Des Hunt (Ballydaly)

an important contribution to the local economy and community… “It’s nice for those young lads to have something to keep them at home during the summer,” says Nathan.

As small-scale farmers themselves – running a modest dry stock enterprise, with 60 heifers at the moment – the Hunts appreciate only too well the level of service that’s expected from contractors. “Farmers are always under pressure but, as contractors, we rely solely on them, so we have to look after them,” Nathan reiterates.

Reflecting on the heatwave of last summer and the challenges it presented, Nathan says it – rather ironically – gave them a little bit of breathing space: “We got through it okay. To be honest, we weren’t under as much pressure as we normally are during the summer. We came under pressure towards the end, when there was more to be done, but it all balanced out in the end.”

Looking to the future, Nathan says the key objective is to continue providing excellent levels of service. Ideally, he’d love to invest in more machinery but such expenditure is determined by the market and things are quite volatile at present: “New machinery is certainly on your mind all the time, but you have to be measured when it comes to investing,” he concludes. “It’s difficult to know at the moment whether or not it’s a good idea to invest this year with cattle prices being so bad.

“It’s nearly all beef farming here and farmers have been finding it tough these past two years, especially in the last twelve months. We’re always looking at machinery and if we see value in something, we’ll probably buy it. But the main priority is to look after what you have and keep it in good condition.”

Congratulations Des & Nathan on celebrating 45 years in Business, and best wishes for the future 64

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None So Hardy designed_Layout 1 26/03/2019 11:48 Page 1

“ That personal touch is evident through everything we do” There are 24 Massey Ferguson tractors in the None So Hardy fleet

None So Hardy (Forestry) Ltd is a privately-owned business which specialises in the growth and supply of firstclass forestry plants to the Irish forestry market. Irish Tractor & Agri heard more recently from three of the team running the show at the company’s Co Wicklow base.

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one So Hardy (Forestry) Ltd is fast-approaching 35 years since its inception and still business is as good as ever down in the Garden County.

Employing 85 staff, it remains Ireland’s largest independent forestry nursery and those nurseries are based on 530 acres

of land situated at Donishall and Ballymurn in Co Wexford.

Sales, administration and distribution are all overseen from the company’s base in Shillelagh, County Wicklow.

Lar Behan is the Transport Manager at None So Hardy (Forestry) Ltd, with Breda Murphy the company’s Accounts/HR Manager and Teige Ryan the Sales Manager of the business.

All three were good enough to take time from their respective hectic schedules to tell Irish Tractor & Agri all about – from its origins, to a recent expansion and how business has fared last year.

“Right now we’re operating with 85 staff and we’ve 24 tractors, along with three trucks and three vans,” Lar stated.

“I suppose the best way to describe business at the moment is as being steady without being spectacular. 2018

was more or less the same for us and we’re hoping it will continue to pick up as 2019 goes on.”

The origins of the business go back to 1985 when husband and wife John and Gillian McCarthy took the decision to but a small 12-acre nursery in Shillelagh.

Originally, the plan for the McCarthys had been to grow around three million trees per annum, but they soon realised they needed to grow a minimum of seven-to-eight million trees to justify putting in place the necessary infrastructure and training of staff to ensure success.

It saw the original None So Hardy nursery eventually grow to some 280 acres and the subsequent purchase of an additional 250-acre nursery in Ballymurn in December of 1995 meant that the group had grown into the largest private nursery in the country.

None So Hardy (Forestry) Ltd, Paulbeg, Shillelagh, Co. Wicklow Tel: 053 94 29105 | Email: sales@nonesohardy.ie IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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Best Wishes To None So Hardy (Forestry) Ltd

Wishing continued success to None So Hardy (Forestry) Ltd

Best Wishes To None So Hardy (Forestry) Ltd

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The company currently have 500 acres under production

None So Hardy (Forestry) Ltd today has the capacity to produce 25 million trees per annum.

In 1194, a cold store in Shillelagh was erected and in 2002 it was extended to hold eight million plants, ensuring that the limited planting season can be extended by at least four months.

2002 proved a landmark year for the company as it also saw irrigation systems established at both nurseries.

Ballymurn is particularly committed to the large-scale production of hardwoods; principally Oak, Beech, Sycamore, Alder, Birch, Mountain Ash, Whitethorn and Hazel.

The Donishall base is committed to the growing of conifers, including Sitka and Norway Spruce, Lodgepole and Scots Pine, and Douglas fir.

All of the plants are grown from highquality seed and conform to provenance recommendations set out by the Forest Service for grant-aid approval.

Sitka and Norway Spruce is “still performing very well” to this day for the company, according to Lar, as big name clients continue to be satisfied by what

None So Hardy has to offer.

“I’d say the reason they choose us first is down to our delivery service because we look after all their deliveries and we deliver nationwide,” Teige stated.

The company also supplies excellent quality homestock from native seed for the establishment of native woodlands.

Nursery work requires a high level of

commitment and expertise to provide customers with a top-class product and service.

Clients receive a complete and comprehensive service right through to the delivery of plants to their site on the morning of planting.

All plants are labelled with colourcoded labels to advise customers of

None So Hardy is Ireland’s largest independent forestry nursery

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The company is closing in on 35 years since its inception

provenance details, quantities and easy identification of all batches. These labels ensure full traceability of plants from seedbed to planting site, offering clients security in the origin and quality of all plants.

None So Hardy also supply a wide range of landscaping plants to both individuals and professionals.

“We currently have 500 acres under production,” Breda explained, “and at the moment we have all the staff we need to make that work. Our production here is based on government programmes.”

To this day, John and Gillian McCarthy remain directors of None So Hardy, alongside their daughter Kate, while the management team comprises of Lar, Breda, Teige and John Kavanagh (nursery production).

Other employees with the company include supervisors, graders, lorry drivers, office personnel, sprayers etc.

The company operates its own machinery fleet and it includes 24 tractors which are all Massey Ferguson and assorted lifting machines, sowers, transplanting machines, sprayers, ploughs and cultivators.

Right now, None So Hardy is operating with three trucks and three vans on the road for their deliveries nationwide.

The equipment is updated regularly to keep the fleet fresh and a preventative maintenance programme ensures that all units remain in prime working order at all times.

Irrigation is set to become a key focus for the company this year, according to

None So Hardy has the capacity to produce 25 million trees per annum

the trio, and, of course, improved Sitka Spruce trees. Those are grown from seed collected from trees which have been selected because of the desirable characteristics of their lineage such as fast growth rates, timber density, straightness, stiffness and low incidence of knots.

“We produce between fifteen and twenty million plants per year and it’s a very labour-intensive business because everything is done by hand.

“The plants are lifted, counted and sorted by hand and that personal touch is evident through everything we do,” Lar concluded.

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Na speisialtóirí adhmaid T

Manufacturing and supplying timber fence products for 33 years, Adhmaid Cill na Martra Teo has become one of the leaders in its field of expertise.

his family run business supplies a wide range of pressure treated fence posts, turners and strainers and are one of the only suppliers of kiln dried / grant approved fence posts in Munster.

Adhmaid Cill na Martra Teoranta also supplies pressure treated ranch fencing in both the Larch and Spruce species, picket fencing and a selection of timber gates.

The company's origins were developed

by Tomas Murphy who having worked in the industry for a few years came up with an idea to form his own business while he lay in hospital after a work accident.

Tomas knew that starting his own business would be a massive undertaking, but with a yard to work from at his home place, he and his wife Mary started from humble beginnings and grew the business into what it is today.

“We started very small and then in 2003, there was a major renovation to meet EPA standards. Our customer base has grown over the years and we now supply agri-stores in Cork, Kerry, Clare, Waterford, Galway and Tipperary with our products,” said Mary.

“About 20 years ago, we broke into Dairy Gold and Kerry Agri and that has been a huge boost to us.

“It is important to us that everyone is

Adhmaid Cill na Martra Teo. Kilnamartyra, Macroom, Co. Cork.

Tel. (026) 40219, (086) 2537061 | Email. tmomurchu@eircom.net

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Adhmaid Cill Na Martra Teo are one of the only suppliers of kiln dried/grant approved fence posts in Munster

treated the same no matter how big or small they are and that is something that we have always focused on.”

The company supplies a lot of products from its base in Kilnamartyra, Macroom, Co Cork, with the majority being manufactured at their premises.

“We manufacture a wide range of products, while we import pencil posts as we hadn't the capacity to manufacture enough to meet the demand.”

One of their top sellers is the Kiln-dried post, which has a life expectancy of 15 years, and is a huge selling point for the client.

“The Kiln-dried post meets NSAI standards, which means it has to be dried to between 23-28% moisture content prior to being preserved. This means there is a high uptake of preservative usually in excess of 10ml even though the standard is set at 6ml.”

A new product coming onto the market is the incised post which allows the preservative soak deeper into the timber and this is another product that customers are showing a big interest in.

“We are expanding all the time and looking at new products to bring to the market. Fortunately, the last few have been very popular due to the high quality.”

Other products include Premium Intermediate Posts, Premium Strainer Posts, Standard Intermediate Posts, Larch Posts and Strainers, Horse Jumping Poles, Deer Fencing Posts and Strainers, Standard Strainers.

All of the timber is sourced in Ireland through a number of harvesters, Coillte and local farmers.

“We have always sourced our timber in Ireland. We have a

Timber is sourced from local harvesters

good network of contacts and there is no shortage of timber in this country. We have often used Coillte's online auctions to buy our timber.”

Accreditation wise all posts and strainers are NSAI certified in accordance with IS436 as specified by the Department under Farm and Forestry schemes.

The company has an Integrated Pollution Control licence with the Environmental Protection Agency and is affiliated to the NSAI (National Standard Authority of Ireland).

They are committed to quality and efficiency from manufacturing and treating their timber products to a quick and efficient delivery service.

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A wide range of quality products are supplied to the agri sector

The company is based in Kilnamartyra, Macroom, Co. Cork

"Our customer base is growing as more farmers are opting to buy these posts outside of grant schemes because they are keenly priced, excellent quality and have such a long-life expectancy.”

Mary revealed that their experienced staff are there to deal with any inquiries that a customer may have.

"The experience we have obtained over the years allows us to determine what the customer needs and any problems they may have in choosing the right product to suit their requirement will 72

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All posts are machined to the highest standards

be dealt with by our experienced team."

An ability to keep up with the latest changes in the industry and indeed come out with innovative ideas of their own has certainly played a huge part in the success of this family run business.

“The company has changed a lot over the years and we have continued to move with the times. The agricultural industry is a large part of our business, but we have customers from many different industries.”

Mary concluded by stating that Tomas

and herself are happy with the direction of the business as they look to continue to ensure customer satisfaction.

“It is all about the customer at the end of the day and we feel by trying to improve the level of service and our product range that we can grow the business and at the same time enhance our customer base. We are very grateful to all our customers for their support over the years.”

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CLONKEEN Best Wishes & Continued Success To

Adhmaid Cill na Martra Teo From

Forestry Services Telephone: 087 1374414

Gortalea, Clonkeen, Killarney, Co. Kerry

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A family affair

Cronin Agri Brothers offers close to the full range of agri services

Based in Fergus, Co Cork, Cronin Agri Brothers is a third generation agri contracting company now run by three brothers from its base in the heart of the Rebel County. Irish Tractor & Agri learned all about the business from one of its directors, Derry Cronin.

T

hese are busy times at Cronin Agri Brothers and the plan for brothers Derry, Trevor and Greg is to keep things that way down in Fergus, Co Cork.

Set-up by their late father William decades ago, the company has grown from strength to strength in offering close to the full range of agri services.

The brothers are also milking 150 cows and farming 350 acres – between being owned and rented – which are a mixture of grain, maize and grass.

Operating a dairy farm, sees the Cronin 74

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brothers taking on up to seven staff – all of whom are very reliable – during their busiest time of year and they’re once again fast-approaching what is sure to be another busy summer season.

Irish Tractor & Agri learned all about the ins and outs of the business recently from Derry Cronin, who was good enough to take time from what’s becoming an increasingly hectic schedule for his family company.

“We’re agri contractors that basically offer our customers the whole package and on top of that we’ve our own farm as well,” Derry outlined.

“Baling is one of the main aspects of the agri business and we’ve two McHale balers here and do anything between 12,000 to 13,000 bales a year here.

“We’d also cut between 1,700 and 1,900 acres and have two slurry tankers as well. Trevor does bulk fertiliser for us and last year would have seen us covering somewhere around 25,000 acres.”

Zero-grazing is another string added to

Cronin Agri Brothers’ bow as of late and something which the siblings will be hoping to expand on again further this year.

Derry was happy to report that the first 12 months with the new zero-grazing

The company is based in Dripsey, Co Cork

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system has gone very much to script for the company.

“We started it in February 2018 and we’re happy enough with how it’s went so far,” he stated.

“We’d initially bought it for our own work on the farm here and just felt that it was something our customers might want as well.”

He continued: “We do a lot of plant hire as well have two 20-tonne dump trailers here so as we can continue to offer all the general work.”

Having a sizeable repertoire of services always helps any agri contractor’s cause, but for Derry the success of his family’s company to date goes much deeper than that.

For him, it’s down to the trust that has been established with clients from ‘Day One’ and he sees that – more than anything – as being the reason why Cronin Agri Brothers can look forward to another busy summer.

“We just try and provide the best service for them and we don’t go mad looking for new clients,” Derry put it plainly.

“Repeat business is a big part of what we do here and it’s better to have than having to go looking for work. We have customers here that go back to my father’s time and we just try to give them the best service we can all year round.”

As for the tractors in the Cronin Brothers Agri fleet, New Holland seems to be the preferred choice of brand for the brothers with one Case Puma 230 also in their yard.

All of the company’s tractors are from

Cronin Agri Brothers Fergus, Dripsey, Co Cork Mob: 086 347 4212

The Cronins operate with three silage wagons in their machinery fleet

2012 through 2018, with Derry not ruling out the possibility of adding another to the fleet before the end of this year.

“We’ve six New Hollands, once Case and there’d be another tractor then that we’d hire out for the summer. We’d hire one or two more off farmers as well,” he said.

“When it comes to the tractors we have here we’d be buying off John McCarthy in Ballincollig.

“We get our tractors serviced and buy parts from Mc & S and Lynch & McCarthy.”

The fleet at Cronin Agri Brothers in its entirety reads as follows: New Holland T7 270, New Holland T7 270, New Holland T7 270, New Holland T7 260, New Holland T6180, New Holland 740,

Case Puma 230.

As aforementioned, the company is also operating with two balers which are McHale Fusions (2+3), a PÖTTINGER mower, while they’ve a Lely rake and tedder.

Both of the slurry tankers are Slurry Kats, one of which has a trailing shoe, and the Cronins are also operating with a 4.5tonne mounted spreader and trailer for spreading fertiliser.

The fertiliser end is a big part of the business now and this year will see the Cronins running a 4.2 tonne ZA_TS and 4 tonne Kuhn axis spreaders, with one tri axle and one double tri axle trailer which are both fitted with augurs.

A Volvo 210 track machine, three silage wagons and dump trailer complete the

New Holland is certainly the preferred choice of brand by the Cronins IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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Cronin Agri Brothers are looking forward to another busy summer

machinery fleet in which they operate with down in Fergus, where they’re also running a Moore Grass stitcher.

Since taking over the running of their parents’ business over a decade ago, Derry, Trevor and Greg have certainly continued to steer it in the right direction as 2020 looms closer and closer.

This year will be about keeping things on the right path by keeping clients’ satisfied and continuing to diversify with their zero-grazing during the spring season.

“We’d plenty of work to keep us going in 2018 and so far things have been going well this year, thankfully,” Derry concluded.

“Even with the drought at the start of last summer, we were still fairly busy. It was a difficult year for the farmers themselves so hopefully things will improve for them in 2019 and we’ll keep as busy as we were last year.”

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Darran and Denise McKenna and family with the Kerrygold Quality Milk Award Perpetual Cup

First for Monaghan as Darran and Denise scoop prestigious Quality Milk Award On Wednesday, October 3rd, 2018, Emyvale, County Monaghan based dairy farmer Darran McKenna was announced as the winner of the National Dairy Council / Kerrygold Quality Milk Award. We visited Derrygasson Farm, which has been in the McKenna family for at least five generations, and had a chat with a very proud Monaghan man.

A

t an awards ceremony in the capital on the first Wednesday of October, husband-and-wife team Darran and Denise McKenna recorded a notable first for County Monaghan when the Emyvale pair beat off strong competition from around the island to land the 2018 National Dairy Council (NDC) / Kerrygold Quality Milk Award.

To make it a night to remember for the McKenna family, in addition to the coveted NDC / Kerrygold Perpetual Cup, they also claimed the Healthy Herd Award, making it a memorable double for the Farney County!

The Quality Milk Award recognises 78

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standards of excellence in dairy farming, with dairy co-operatives throughout the country invited to nominate their top suppliers. Nominated by LacPatrick Dairies, Darran and Denise went headto-head with eight other farms for the national title as the 19 original nominees were whittled down to a strong shortlist of nine.

As part of the judging process, judges carried out detailed assessments based on submitted nomination forms and technical reports spanning a full twelvemonth period. From this process, the shortlist of finalists was compiled, with judges visiting each of the nine finalist farms to carry out inspections over the summer months.

Derrygasson is a traditional family farm in every sense of the term. Darren and Denise are joined in running the awardwinning enterprise by their young children, Daithí, Caragh, Michveál and Annie, while their nieces and nephews also help out in times of need and neighbour, Cormac, makes himself available for relief milking.

“It was nice to win the award,” Darran reflects modestly. “To be honest, I didn’t think too much about it when we were nominated but, as time went on, I

gathered a bit of momentum and it was a big shock to win it.

“We were the first farm from north of the Dublin / Meath border to win it, so there was a real sense of pride and achievement to that. Obviously, as dairy farmers, we never set out to win awards – our goal has always been to maximise our efficiencies and make as much money as we can from what we have and a natural part of this is instilling the highest standards.

“But it was nice to get the recognition.

After we were named as winners, we had to attend a number of functions and ceremonies and the children got a big thrill out of that. I suppose, in a way, it was like we were local celebrities for a short time and they enjoyed that.”

Darran is very proud of where he’s from and he says the award is as much for the local region as for the farm at Derrygasson: “It drives you on and I’m sure it will drive on other people in the area,” he states. “Monaghan is the forgotten county in many respects and when we win something it just shows us that we can be as good as anyone else.

As a community, we all stick together and support one another and that’s the way it has always been here since Town

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of Monaghan Co-op was first started.”

At least five generations of Darran’s family have farmed on Derrygasson Farm. It could actually be more than that but records don’t go back any further. “I’ve worked here myself since I was fit to walk,” the Emyvale man says. “I served my time as an electrician but went into partnership with my father, Seamus, when I was in my mid-20s and took over the farm when I was 25.

“My brother, Barry, is an agri contractor and also a New Holland dealer, and we have always worked together hand-inhand, so I’ve done plenty of silage, baling and slurry myself since I was a young lad.

Going back through the decades, centuries even, dairy has always been the main focus of the farm. Seamus kept some pigs and also ran JCBs to provide plant hire services but the natural evolution was towards a dairy enterprise exclusively.

Today, Darran and Denise oversee a year-round system based on 150 acres, with 100 cows (plus replacements) milked twice a day in a 16-unit DeLaval herringbone parlour, averaging some 6,300 litres with protein at 3.45% and 4.21% butterfat.

Meanwhile, the 2018 figures also showed somatic cell count was 70 and TBC was nine (and even lower in 2017).

The standards of hygiene and quality set on the farm are above and beyond the norm, with the keenest attention to detail, commitment to excellence and a passion for success driving Darran to excel on a daily basis.

Maximising the use of grass is, of course, the golden rule…

“It’s all about setting up the herd to maximise your production from grass,” Darran confirms. “Genetics and hygiene obviously come into it, too. It’s a matter of making sure you do everything right, get the basics right and take it from there. When you do it right, you only have to do it once.

“Grassland management is paramount today and I learned a lot about that from being involved in Teagasc discussion groups. Grassland management wouldn’t have been great in this area up until seven or eight years ago, but people are taking a real interest in it now and seeing the benefits of it.

“Grass is proven to be the cheapest way to produce milk and, at the end of the day, farmers want to be able to keep as much of their milk cheques as they can. The fundamentals of dairy farming are simple enough: you have to produce quality grass and then have the right animal to turn that into quality milk.

We’re doing it well but we’re still working towards achieving even better results. You are always striving for better and learning all the time.”

Darran supplies all his milk to LacPatrick Dairies, having

The 16 unit DeLaval Herringbone parlour at Derrygasson Farm

supplied its predecessor Town of Monaghan Co-op prior to that since its inception. He was a member of the Council that voted in the Board of both bodies. “We were always very happy with Town of Monaghan and had a very close relationship with them. That has continued with LakPatrick. Their headquarters are still in Monaghan it’s still local enough for us, although they will be a bit further away when the merger with Lakeland goes through.”

The herd has grown steadily from 60 when the quotas went to 100 today but no further expansion is on the cards for the time being, at least. “I’m probably at my maximum size for my time of life,” Darran reveals. “As the children get older, I might drive it on if they want to get involved in a serious way. But, for the time being, the aim is to maximise our returns from what we have.”

Darran and Denise McKenna with the next generation IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

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The McKenna family

Darran McKenna (left) overall winner of the NDC and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards with Volac’s JP Harkin

Darran McKenna with the Kerrygold Quality Milk Award Perpetual Cup

An inordinate amount of hours are invested into the farm but it’s made easier when you enjoy what you’re doing and don’t view it as work. “During the Spring, with calving thrown into the mix, there’s no starting or finishing time but I really enjoy the thrill of being involved,” the Monaghan man concludes. “As the year goes on, you like to take your occasional evenings and weekends off the same as everybody else, and this is where I’m very lucky to have help from Cormac, our relief milker, who will come and help out any time we need him, as well as our nieces and nephews.

“Barry looks after the silage, slurry and round baling and I look after the AI and fertiliser myself as well as a bit of the slurry.

There’s always something to be done but, if you are happy in your job, it doesn’t seem like work and you always have something to drive you on.”

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